HOME, MEDIATED: UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF MEDIA IN THE LIVES OF OVERSEAS SINGAPOREAN COLLEGE STUDENTS

Abstract

Brain drain in the form of Singaporean student migrants is one of the nation’s biggest fears (Koh, 2012). However, the development of ICTs affords these sojourners multiple channels to connect with their home country should they wish. As such, in an era of media ubiquity, there is an urgent need to understand how the media factors into migration trends. Most research on migration trends in Singapore focus on its sociological implications such as notions of citizenship (Ho, 2009). However, this study strives to present a media-centered approach to understand the ways in which overseas Singaporean college students dis/connect with their home and host countries. Enlisting Madianou and Miller’s (2012) polymedia framework, this study analysed the choice of media based on its social, emotive and situational implications rather than simply based on its technical functionality. Findings from the 22 in depth semi structured interviews conducted with Singaporean college students in six different countries revealed that polymedia could be harnessed to both facilitate acculturative intent and the construction of home overseas. It was also found in the study that Singapore requires a higher quality of ethnic media output beyond news production, so as to serve as a possible channel for evoking a sense of attachment back home. Ultimately, these findings should help us better understand the role of the media in the formation of Singaporean national identity, against the backdrop of increasing emigration trends.