Iranian Digital Diaspora: A Qualitative Meta-Analysis on Concepts and Approaches

The purpose of this research is to meta-analyze the qualitative studies conducted on the "Iranian Digital Diaspora". The statistical population includes the research done about the issue during the last 20 years inside and outside the country out of which 13 studies were selected using purposeful sampling. The research results show that the most important study foci of the Iranian Digital Diaspora include "narratives and ways of self-expression of the Iranian immigrants", "representation of identity dimensions of the Iranian immigrants", "the role of Digital Diaspora in increasing political, economic, and sociocultural activism in Iran", "the importance of place in the activism of immigrants in the virtual space" and "the existence of diversity, ambiguity, and individualism among Iranian Digital Diaspora". Research, also, shows that this field of study has not received enough attention from domestic researchers. The research findings indicate the tangible effects of virtual space on the identity and cultural dimensions of the Iranian Diaspora. These studies have emphasized the effect of positive and influential aspects of modern technologies on activism of the immigrants, and the possible negative aspects of the virtual space have not been studied. Based on the results, with the help of virtual space, communication among the Iranians inside and outside the country has increased the ability and social capital of the Iranian immigrants and has caused Iranian immigrants to have a more prominent presence in Iran’s political and civil activisms. Also, despite the trans-spatial and trans-temporal nature of communication in cyberspace, the shadows of the elements of place and the nation-state are obvious in the communication of the Iranian Digital Diaspora