Between Two Time Zones and Places
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Between Two Time Zones and Places A Study on how Media Habits Shape a Sense of Belonging among Tamils in Norway Master Thesis Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment for the award of Master of Arts Degree in Media Studies Rajakulasingam Chelliah (Rajan Chelliah) Department of Media and Communication University of Oslo, Norway Spring 2012 ii Abstract The objective of this master thesis is to explore the patterns of media consumption as adopted by Tamils living in Norway and how these have impacted their sense of belonging. As a Diaspora community in Norway, Tamils have access to several media in their everyday life. This study focuses on four types of media: Television, Radio, Newspapers and Internet. Empirical data for this study is collected through semi structured qualitative interviews conducted with twelve first generation Tamils who had fled Sri Lanka after the outbreak of war. The study seeks to find out how their shared past; their present life in the country of settlement; and the media contribute to ongoing identity construction amongst the Tamils. This study reveals Tamils` belonging to multiple localities; and researches how their diverse media consumption patterns contribute to creating a sense of belonging in them. ii Acknowledgements I would like to thank many people around me who have contributed towards the completion of this study. First and foremost, I am grateful to all the Tamils in Oslo who opened their homes and shared their attitudes and viewpoints for this study. Without their participation and valuable time the completion of this study would not have been possible. My supervisor Tore Slaatta guided me with valuable advice and devoted much of his time at all the stages of development of my study. I owe a special thanks to him for his inspiration. I am also thankful to CULCOM, Cultural Complexity in the New Norway that gave me a stipend for this study. My sincere thanks also go out to all researchers and employees who helped me in the early stages of this thesis. I am indebted to my friend and researcher Sarvendra Tharmalingam for his valuable advice, encouragement and intellectual inspiration. He motivated me to complete this study even though I was challenged by several pressing obligations. I am thankful to fellow students, friends, lecturers and staff at the Institute of Media and Communication for making my time at the institute both valuable and interesting. Finally I am thankful to my wife Pathmini for relieving me from my obligations; and for her encouragement when it was needed. My children who had to withstand my absence during the course of this study too need appreciation. iii iv Table of contents Abstract ................................................................................................................................................... i Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................... iii Chapter 1 ................................................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Motivation for the study ............................................................................................................... 2 1.3 Research questions ....................................................................................................................... 5 1.4 Tamils as a migrant group ............................................................................................................. 6 1.5 Departure point of this study ........................................................................................................ 6 1.6 Structure of the thesis ................................................................................................................. 10 Chapter 2 .............................................................................................................................................. 11 Media, Diaspora, and Sense of Belonging: A Theoretical Framework .......................................... 11 2.1 Understanding complex global settings ...................................................................................... 12 2.2 Ethnoscapes and Mediascapes in the context of the study ........................................................ 13 2.3 Understanding media and sense of belonging in a globalized world.......................................... 14 2.4 Role of media on sense of belonging .......................................................................................... 16 2.5 Social network and media ........................................................................................................... 17 2.6 Understanding Diaspora and sense of belonging........................................................................ 19 2.7 Citizenship rights and sense of belonging ................................................................................... 22 2.8 Transnationalism and multiple belongings ................................................................................. 22 Chapter 3 .............................................................................................................................................. 25 Research design and methods ............................................................................................................ 25 3.1 The research design ..................................................................................................................... 25 3.2 Prior understanding of phenomena ............................................................................................ 26 3.3 The aim of interviews .................................................................................................................. 27 3.4 The interview guide ..................................................................................................................... 28 3.5 The test interviews ...................................................................................................................... 29 3.6 The data collection process ......................................................................................................... 29 3.7 Reflections on the researcher role .............................................................................................. 31 3.8 Reliability and Validity issues ...................................................................................................... 34 3.9 Ethical Concerns.......................................................................................................................... 36 3.10 Summary ............................................................................................................................... 36 Chapter 4 .............................................................................................................................................. 37 Migration of Tamils to Norway: Some facts and views ................................................................... 37 4.1 Historical background of Tamil migration ................................................................................... 37 v vi 4.2 Tamils living in Oslo/ Norway ...................................................................................................... 39 4.3 Sense of belonging amongst Tamils ............................................................................................ 40 Chapter 5 .............................................................................................................................................. 44 Overview of Media Landscape in Norway ........................................................................................ 44 5.1 The Media landscape in Norway ................................................................................................. 44 5.2 Broadcasting in Norway .............................................................................................................. 44 Norwegian television channels 2011 ............................................................................................ 46 Radio .............................................................................................................................................. 47 Newspaper and magazine environment ....................................................................................... 47 Internet environment in Norway .................................................................................................. 47 5.3 Landscape of Tamil Media ........................................................................................................... 48 TV channels ................................................................................................................................... 49 South Indian Tamil TV channels that are available in Europe ....................................................... 49 Tamil TV channels aimed to attract Tamil Diaspora from Sri Lanka ............................................. 50 Ethnic Tamil Radio channels, Newspapers and Internet for Tamils in Europe ............................. 53 Chapter 6 .............................................................................................................................................