Transnational Migration to/from China: The Role of Digital Platforms, Publics, and Policies (Special Issue)

Digital technologies play a crucial role in transnational migration, especially for those migrating to and from highly platformized societies like China. Over 50 million people of Chinese origin live abroad, in the meanwhile, China hosts nearly 1.5 million immigrants. Research has examined how Chinese emigrants use domestic platforms as migration infrastructure and tools for diasporic governance, how these platforms facilitate identity construction and political engagement, as well as the racism and exclusivist narratives the immigrants in China meet when navigating local and global platforms. This Chinese Journal of Communication special issue focuses on the intersection of transnational migration, digital platforms, and power dynamics. It seeks to expand understanding of how platforms (Chinese and non-Chinese), their sociotechnical affordances, and associated discourses impact migration processes. Topics of interest include how migrants leverage digital affordances for individual or collective goals, the reproduction of power relations, and how laws and policies shape digital ecosystems and their implications for transnational migration.