ISSN: 2347-7474 International Journal Advances in Social Science and Humanities Available online at: www.ijassh.com

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Moroccan Diaspora in France: Community Building on Yabiladi Portal

Tarik Samak

Abstract

Over the last decade, social networking sites emerge as an ideal tool of communication that facilitate interaction among people online. At the same time, in a world which is characterized by massive waves of migration, globalization results in the construction of the diaspora who seek through new ways to build communities. Within this framework, while traditional media have empowered diaspora members to maintain ties and bonds with their homeland and fellow members, the emergence of social media have offered new opportunities for diasporas to get involved in diasporic identity and community construction. The creation of several diasporic groups on social media like Yabiladi.com and WAFIN.be, respectively in France and Belguim, emphasize the vital role they play in everyday lives of the diaspora. To study the importance and implications of these online communities for diaspora members and investigate their online practices, this article carries out a virtual ethnography of the Moroccan community on Yabiladi portal in France. By means of the qualitative approach of interviews, this article aims at justifying whether the online groups of diasporic diasporic Moroccans in France can be defined as communities, and whether social networking sites can be considered as an alternative landscape for the diaspora to create links with other diasporic members. This article, through users’ experience, provides deep understanding of Yabiladi members’ beliefs about the ‘‘community’’ and their online daily practices which enable them to ‘‘imagine’’ it as a community.

Keywords: Moroccan diaspora, Community, Social networking sites, Internet, Ethnography. Introduction In general terms, migration is not a new build communities. Bernal argues that the practice for humanity, nor is the web 2.0 applications strongly enabled investigation of migration a new area of diasporic communities to overwhelm research for academic studies. Nevertheless, geographical distance and barriers to re- over the last decade, the emergence of new enact their cultural heritage to creat information and communication technologies transnational, virtual diasporic spaces [2]. (ICT) have led to a review of migration Contrary to the traditional mass- literature. Thanks to these new technologies, communication sender-receiver models, transnational identities have emerged and, Internet in general and web 2.0 in particular thus, have affected the traditional theories have given rise to a participatory privilege in of migration. They have emerged as the cultural consumption, production and ultimate tool to provide the appropriate community building. conditions for migrants to stenghten ties and bond with fellow citizens and re-root in a In fact, over the last ten years there has common sense of community their cultural been a considerable proliferation in the placelesseness [1]. construction and use of the social networking websites (SNS), especially While in the past migrant communities Facebbok, the most popular social always demonstrated interest in exploiting networking site with the number of users traditional media (newspapers, radios, and which exceeds 1.71 billion monthly active TV) to keep themselves tied with their users1. This increasing number is a strong homeland, the advent of the World Wide indicator about the significance of this Web has established a new decentralized medium, which has led to a great and egalitarian platform for diasporans to transformation in the way people

1http://www.statista.com/statistics/264810/numb of-monthly-active-facebook-users-worldwide/ Tarik Samak |Aug. 2016 | Vol.4 | Issue 08 |01-06 1 Available online at: www.ijassh.com communicate, build and maintain virtual inside the research area and shed light on friendships. Because these websites were the diasporic members’ use of the SNS. basically built with the younger demographic as the target, a large part of In order to start this article, I consider the the scholarship has targeted young peoples’ Moroccans on Yabiladi in France as a case use of SNS. study and pay a particular attention to the daily practices of its members. By means of According to digital diaspora studies, one of this case study, this article investigates the the most significant sections of the people practices of the Moroccan diaspora members using SNS include those in the diaspora. In on Yabiladi and how they perceive and an era of globalization, characterized by experience ‘community’ on Yabiladi forum. increasingly intense population movements, has led to the appearance of diasporic Methodology communities. Covering a time period of two years, I observed that Yabiladi website is In this article I exlpore Yabiladi as a social appropriated by Moroccan diasporic groups networking site which provides a setting for for their community communication. This everyday interactions. This theoritical site has become a highly busy space for framework is borrowed to comprehend the Moroccan diaspora that is using it for complexities of the interactions taking place discussing topicsranging from the burden of on Yabiladi forum and the awareness of its finding a job and accommodation in a new participants about Yabiladi as a community. country to ceremonalizing religious By adopting Christine Hine’s [4] definition of festivals ; from the challenge of living in a ‘virtual ethnography’, this is an attempt to new country to the concerns of their explain how participants of an online belonging, their identity and what they can discussion on forum perceive this technology do to maintain their homeland culture. and use it to communicate and negotiate Consequently, Yabiladi website has become their identities. Based on this, it is a virtual space of diasporic discursive reasonable to adopt an ethnographic animation and introduces itself as an area of approach thanks to the fact that it permits research for studying the subtelties of researchers to deeply understand the full diasporic communication, the expression of picture of a certain community and to grasp ethnicity in the new media and the way this the connotations wich the community space empowers the Moroccan diaspora to associates to their social world [5]. Just like negotiate its new identities and realities. in the case under study, Yabiladi allows for the technological setting of interaction as well as the social context of members’ Unfortunately, the Moroccan diaspora whose diasporic status as Moroccans in France, an number increases year after year and ethnographic approach permits investigating constitutes the so-called Moroccans residing the meanings that Yabiladi users socially abroad (Marocains Residant à l’Etranger build through their interactions on this (MRE)) has received very modest attention. portal. Loukili’s [3] article, a unique work carried out on Moroccan diasporic cyberspace, shed some light on Moroccan migrants’ use of Because this research focuses on the cyberspace to give voice to their Moroccan practices through which Yabiladi portal is identity. used and understood in every day settings for the construction of community and identity by diasporic Moroccan members in Despite the fact that the above mentioned France, a virtual ethnography of the social research on Moroccan diaspora conveys the networking site Yabiladi seems thus to fit idea that Internet offers the opportunity for best as an adequate methodological setting up a new communication platform, foundation and Yabiladi portal becomes the none of the researchers up-to-now has ethnographic substance for this research. attempted any exploration of the practices This ethnographic research is carried out to on social networking sites in the context of investigate the long-lasting practices the Moroccan diaspora. Therefore, it is through which Yabiladi community becomes significant to bring social networking sites meaningful to its members.

2 My country in Arabic

Tarik Samak |Aug. 2016 | Vol.4 | Issue 08 |01-06 2 Available online at: www.ijassh.com Christine Hine argues that ‘ethnography is a range of administrative information like way of seeing through the participants’ Moroccan embassies and consulates contact eyes : a grounded approach that aims for a information, as well as local and deep understanding of the cultural international news. Yabiladi contains foundations of the group [4]. It is attractive sections about religion, food receipes and in a sense that it helps provide deep updated Morocco-related political and description and offer very close cultural events in Europe and Morocco. It comprehension to the ways which people also guarantees access to Moroccan TV and interpret the world. radio. In addition, Yabiladi contains interactive applications like video and photo Yabiladi is a rich source of information sharing, a chat room and a forum. Generally, about Moroccans as a community. Data participants observation and interview data collection took about two years, hence show that it is specially the forum section experiencing many important moments in that is used by Moroccan diaspora members the life of the community. Another for their community interactions and thus I important feature is that on the forum, will deal with this section for pertinent data identity is revealed naturally, like in every collection and analysis. day life, through stories and experiences. Before starting the discussion of the social Moroccan Imigration : General View networking site under study, a brief description is introduced. During the second half of the twentieth century Morocco was one of the prime Yabiladi Portal sources of labour migrants for several countries in Western Europe such as France, Yabiladi2 was launched in 2002 by Mohamed Belgium and the Netherlands. Thousands of Ezzouak, a second generation Moroccan unskilled Moroccan workers were recruited migrant. Launched from France, Yabiladi is to compensate for the labour shortages, the most visited online diasporic site by especially in sectors like industry, mining, Moroccan migrants. The reason behind housing, construction and agriculture. creating Yabiladi portal was that Mohamed Ezzouak wanted to creat direct link According to statistics provided by the between Moroccan diaspora members and Organisation of Economic Co-opration for provide them with the new ways of Development (OECD) ‘Morocco remains a communication, information exchange and major sender of migrants with anual flows to develop the feeling of belonging [3]. estimated at 140,400 individuals.’ This According to Afrik.com, the key reason continued till 1980s after some migration behind creating Yabiladi portal was that to restrictions which had been put by the ‘federate all Moroccans in the world. traditional receiving countries in Western Internet is a powerful tool to meet, have Europe. Oil crisis in 1973 caused very contact, laern get informed and entertained’ drastic economic stagnation and resulted in [6]. low demand for unskilled labourers in Western Europe. Since then, Moroccans According to lavieeco.com, Yabiladi portal have tried new destinations like Lybia, for managed to have an active diasporic temporary contracts, but, recently, the community on a regular basis with 40000 United States and the French-speaking visits per day and more than 1 million per Canadian province of Quebec have attracted month in 2008 [7]. Statistics provided by the an important number of Moroccans, webmaster of Yabiladi indicate that 50 especially the well-educated. The second percent of Yabiladi users live in France, 25 wave of migrants to Europe are students. percent in Morocco and the rest of users are The majority of them have been leading a based in different countries. good living and decided to settle there. While the reasons of migration for the first group of migrants were ecenomic, to help the As a portal site. Yabiladi is designed in household, for the second were political and terms of several sections which serve both socio-cultural. According to Reniers [8], nationals and migrants. It provides a wide socio-cultural reasons can be translated in

Tarik Samak |Aug. 2016 | Vol.4 | Issue 08 |01-06 3 Available online at: www.ijassh.com terms of an urge among young Moroccans to To address the key research questions on get rid of the Moroccan model where religion community, the qualitative approach is used and family restraints are widespread. for data analysis. First, the data gathered Another motive which strenghtens the from interviews is analysed in terms of desire of Moroccan youth to migrate is the narrative analysis and interpretation. Then, use of information and communication discussion of my observations is undertaken technologies such as internet and satellite about the shared practices and system of receiver that diffuse tantalizing images of meaning produced by Yabiladi users. western societies. Moroccan Diaspora and the Use of To address the key research question, Electronic Media participants were asked about reasons for joining Yabiladi and their perceptions about Yabiladi community. The responses include The majority of scholarship on media and sub-themes that appear in the 8 interviews. diaspora agrees that Internet opens up Schroder et al indicate that ‘the analysis is many opportunities for people to participate thus, to some extent framed by pre-given set in the discussions which take place in the of codes or categories, but proceeds with an public sphere. For migrants, Internet is an open mind by adding new codes as ideal tool to keep in touch with their fellow warranted by the transcript’ [9]. This compatriots all over the world and maintain technique of getting results through their bonds with their homeland. By the generating themes from the interview guide same token, Moroccan migrants, especially and then from interview transcripts is in Western European countries have set up illustrated in the table bellow. a number of diasporic websites. Generally, according to statistics provided by the How do users experience and perceive community on webmaster of these diasporic websites, they Yabiladi ? indicate that Moroccan migrants are Reasons for joining Yabiladi Perceptiopn of Yabiladi especially active on the Internet. Today, community thanks to modern electronic media, .looking for information .doubt about how strong are .exploiting benefits from members’ commitment Moroccan diaspora members have membership .community is genuine for compressed space and geographical barriers .enjoyment and socializing some members to get involved in transnational activities. .unlikely alternative for offline community

Still, not all people have equal access to Seven interviews out of eight willingly Internet. Many scholars point out that looked for a community on diasporic portal factors like social status, geographical of Yabiladi. This practice of looking for other distribution (urban or rural), gender and diasporic members highlits the importance ethnicity determine the access to the World of the property of ‘searchability’ a property of Wide Web. This is typically relevant to social networking sites. In justifying the Yabiladi users. Yabiladi users are mostly reasons why diasporans join Yabiladi, young. According to Yabiladi interviews pointed out to the strong appeal figures,72 percent of them are between 18 for the community thanks to its name and and 40 , and 67 percent are well-educated. massive membership. Informant 1 made it Early Moroccan migrants, especially clear when he revealed ‘actually being a unskilled labourers, have less access to the Moroccan and in France … I just had to join Internet vis-à-vis the second and third the Moroccan community … especially with generations. Generally speaking, Yabiladi that number of members in the community can be perceived as a symbolic space that is … you can obtain enough information.’ part of the Moroccan diasporic community, a Similarly, informant 2 wanted ‘to get some platform for expressing the feelings of important information which migrants belonging and maintained ties with the might need for settling down for good in country of origin.

France.’ Informant 6 exlpained, ‘I love Data Analysis conversation to go on … members share much found in all transcrpits. Furthermore, 3 Italicised words indicate themes the responses showed the informants’ expectaions for exploiting benefits from Tarik Samak |Aug. 2016 | Vol.4 | Issue 08 |01-06 4 Available online at: www.ijassh.com membership, a theme that exists in the eight Informant 3 argued that, ‘yes it is a real interviews. In addition, information … community, real people and real events… a information about jobs, housing,etc.’ These group with almost the same interests … responses clearly illustrate the infromants personally I don’t harbour strong connextion attempts for looking for information 3 to Yabiladi … because I believe that in the appeared as a central theme that can befor end it is just a virtual community.’ respondents 2, 3 and 4 it was obvious that their need was just to find new friends in a In the time the above responses demonstrate new country. That was their decisive factor high dependence on Yabiladi, some others for joining Yabiladi. As respondent 4 put it, are doubtful about members’ commitment. ‘the time I left Morocco, I didnt want to feel Respondent 1’s belief ‘it is community alone … and I think this was the best way to although some people who know each other find friends…’,and respondent 5 explained, ‘I just ask questions and get answers and noticed all the posts were new (1min or 2 leave’ indicates that participation in the min) and I decided to be part of this busy community for some members happens just community … and to obtain some help when when there is a need. This explanation I need especially from intelligent Moroccans discloses two important things about some of with different backgrounds and who live in Yabiladi members : uncertainty about France.’ For informant 2, socialising was a members’ commitment and the community is crucial factor for joining Yabiladi, as he real only for some. explained, ‘when you are single and working in a foreign country … it’s good for you to make friends and enjoy their company.’ To account for how Yabiladi members creat These responses indicate another aspect of a community and maintain it, new themes Yabiladi membership, that of enjoyment and came to view from the interview answers : socialising. ‘high traffic on Yabiladi’ and ‘diversity in community’. Respondents 1and 2 revealed the central topics that make the forum Therefore, 3 themes (looking for information, interesting. exploiting benefits from membership and enjoyment and socialising) were generated from the responses to the question that Respondent 1 : interesting topics catch your illuminated the groups’ reasons. attention … the reason for coming in big numbers is that there are knowledgeable people who are ready to give hand. The answers by the informants for the Terrorism/culture/religion/science/bled4/relig question about their perception of Yabiladi ious events/wedding ceremonies/Moroccan community and if they saw it as a real cinema and sports … these topics keep me in community stressed the fact that he could the forum … they make everyone easily find people with the same interests so participate… as to feel at home. He explained, ‘yes for me it’s a community … generally we Moroccans living in France are part of it and we belong Respondent 2 : return back to Morocco, to it. Yabiladi is good for making friends and investment in Morocco, education, housing, socialising … if you have just come to France jobs, ramadan, Eid lekbir 5, electoral then Yabiladi is the place where you can get elections in Morocco, summer holidays in information, help and even you can plan for Morocco, festivals, wedding ceremonies … a trip to discover the place where you live … and in case someone needs help people it is also a good place for finding people with respond immediately … that is the best similar tastes and opinions to feel home.’ place [10].

Likewise, respondent 4 expalined that, ‘I Conclusion believe it is a community … sometimes I feel In order to address the key research that I belong to it more than to Paris … in question ‘How does Moroccan diaspora 2010 time of crisis I still remember I could perceive and experience community on find people who were ready for help … not Yabiladi ? Two umbrella themes were all people, but they exist…’ identified: the reasons for joining Yabiladi

Tarik Samak |Aug. 2016 | Vol.4 | Issue 08 |01-06 5 Available online at: www.ijassh.com and the conceptions of Yabiladi community. Despite the fact that online diasporic Following this, six sub-themes were congregations such as Yabiladi platform generated through informants’ responses, appear like a substitute landscape for which introduce their perception and community building, it is equally important, experience on Yabiladi. While the themes for however, to acknowledge that members’ looking for information, exploiting benefits skepticism about the ties and relationships from membership and enjoyment and established on such public space. Sceptical socializing reveal the reasons for joining members see it as a community which is Yabiladi by Moroccan diaspora users, the characterized by temporary relationships themes of doubt of how strong are the and involves no sense of commitment, and members’ commitment, community as thus in these members’ perception it is genuine for some members and unlikely unlikely to be an alternative for the offline alternative for offline community appear as community. the central point that attract Yabiladi members about the community. References 1 Appadurai, Arjun, Modernity at large: cultural 6 Les Morocain de l’étranger craquent pour dimensions of globalization, Minneapolis: Yabiladi’, (2002), Afrik.com University of Minnesota Press, 1996 www.afrik.com/article4437.html. 2 Bernal, Victoria. ‘Diaspora, cyberspace and 7 Mohamed Ezzouak, le MRE qui a lancé political imagination: the Eritrean diaspora Yabiladi.com’, (2008), lavieeco,http://www.lavieeco.com/portraits/6596 online’, Global Network, 2006 -mohamed-ezzouak-le-mre-qui-a-lancé- 3 Loukili, Amina, ‘‘Moroccan Diaspora, Internet yabiladi.com.html and National Imagination. Building a 8 Reniers, Georges, On the History and Community Online through the Internet Portal selectivity of Turkish and Moroccan migration Yabiladi ’’, (paper presented at the Nordic to Belgium, International Migration, 1999 Africa Days in Uppsala, 5-7 October 2007) 9 Schroder, Kim., Drotner, Kristen., Kline, 4 Hine, Christine, Virtual Ethnography, Stephen., Murray, Catherin. Researching London : Sage, 2000 Audiences, London : Arnold, 2003 5 Bryman, Alan, Social Research Method. 10 Migration Policy Center, MPC- Migration Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2000 Profile : Morocco, (2013), migrationpolicycentre.eu,http://www.migration policycentre.eu/docs/migration_profiles/Morocc

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