The Chilean Digital Diaspora. A case study of transnational political and electoral practices on social media since 2017

Abstract

Following General Pinochet’s dictatorship in 1973, hundreds of thousands of Chileans were either forced into exile or fled their homeland, creating what we now recognize as the Chilean diaspora. Presently, the latest national census estimates indicate that over one million Chileans reside abroad. The aim of this thesis is to examine the main features of the Chilean diaspora and the factors that caused its rapid growth, with a focus on the online component of the phenomenon, known as the digital diaspora. With digital diaspora, we refer to an umbrella term that covers the new configurations arising from the field of migration and diaspora, ICTs (information and communication technologies), new media and social media. The increase in new media has resulted in changes in dynamics, particularly in the political sphere. For this reason, I analyze the role and engagement of the Chilean digital diaspora in the country’s latest electoral processes since the 2017 presidential elections. These elections are particularly relevant because they marked the first time that Chilean expatriates were allowed to vote. By analyzing data from electoral registries and polls, as well as empirical examples of online networking and engagement among Chilean expatriates on Facebook and Twitter, this study seeks to examine the effect of newly enfranchised Chilean citizens on election outcomes and the interconnection between the online and offline spheres. Methodologically, the project uses a mixed-methods approach consisting of online participant observation and statistical analysis to examine internet connections and online media activities. The objective is to identify the practices and meanings of these phenomena in a comprehensive and objective manner.