Chapter Forced Digital Leap?

Overview & Synopsis

Aging, Migration, and Digital Technologies explores how processes of migration and aging are entangled with digital practices in the contexts of the Nordic countries (Sweden and Finland) and Japan. At the forefront of the digitalization of welfare services and the permeation of digital communication more generally, these regions provide a compelling lens through which to explore the shared and divergent experiences of aging, migration, and transnational families in a digital context. Drawing on empirical case studies, this volume investigates the transformative effects of digital technologies on the experiences of older migrants and their interactions with aging native populations. Chapters examine diverse migrant populations of varied regional, national, and linguistic backgrounds, encompassing those shaped by colonial histories, refugee programs, and labor, marriage, and professional mobility. The book critically addresses cultural differences in the definitions of care, help, and mediation and examines how these notions have been reshaped by both migration and digital technologies. Simultaneously, it evaluates the extent to which digitalized welfare services enable social inclusion or whether they act as a barrier that exacerbates inequalities, offering a nuanced analysis of their role in shaping the aging trajectory. Applying a cross-country comparative framework across diverse ethnic groups, the book underscores the need to further refine the analytical potential of the aging migrant category and advance the migration–aging–technology triad as a robust framework for understanding these phenomena. It will therefore appeal to scholars, researchers, and students of the sociology of migration, aging, digitalization, and welfare, as well as policymakers and practitioners in social services and integration.