ESP-2989

Published

2025-02-12

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 2 (2025): Publishing

Section

Review Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Manka N. Sheila, Tsabedze F. Wandile, Eduard Fourie

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

The journal adopts the Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0), which means that anyone can reuse and redistribute the materials for non-commercial purposes as long as you follow the license terms and the original source is properly cited.

Author(s) shall retain the copyright of their work and grant the Journal/Publisher rights for the first publication with the work concurrently licensed since 2023 Vol.8 No.2.

Under this license, author(s) will allow third parties to download, reuse, reprint, modify, distribute and/or copy the content under the condition that the authors are given credit. No permission is required from the authors or the publisher.

This broad license intends to facilitate free access, as well as the unrestricted use of original works of all types. This ensures that the published work is freely and openly available in perpetuity.

By providing open access, the following benefits are brought about:

  • Higher Visibility, Availability and Citations-free and unlimited accessibility of the publication over the internet without any restrictions increases citation of the article.
  • Ease of search-publications are easily searchable in search engines and indexing databases.
  • Rapid Publication – accepted papers are immediately published online.
  • Available for free download immediately after publication at https://esp.as-pub.com/index.php/ESP

 

Copyright Statement

1.The authors certify that the submitted manuscripts are original works, do not infringe the rights of others, are free from academic misconduct and confidentiality issues, and that there are no disputes over the authorship scheme of the collaborative articles. In case of infringement, academic misconduct and confidentiality issues, as well as disputes over the authorship scheme, all responsibilities will be borne by the authors.

2. The author agrees to grant the Editorial Office of Environment and Social Psychology a licence to use the reproduction right, distribution right, information network dissemination right, performance right, translation right, and compilation right of the submitted manuscript, including the work as a whole, as well as the diagrams, tables, abstracts, and any other parts that can be extracted from the work and used in accordance with the characteristics of the journal. The Editorial Board of Environment and Social Psychology has the right to use and sub-licence the above mentioned works for wide dissemination in print, electronic and online versions, and, in accordance with the characteristics of the periodical, for the period of legal protection of the property right of the copyright in the work, and for the territorial scope of the work throughout the world.

3. The authors are entitled to the copyright of their works under the relevant laws of Singapore, provided that they do not exercise their rights in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the Journal.

About Licence

Environment and Social Psychology is an open access journal and all published work is available under the Creative Commons Licence, Authors shall retain copyright of their work and grant the journal/publisher the right of first publication, and their work shall be licensed under the Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0).

Under this licence, the author grants permission to third parties to download, reuse, reprint, modify, distribute and/or copy the content with attribution to the author. No permission from the author or publisher is required.

This broad licence is intended to facilitate free access to and unrestricted use of original works of all kinds. This ensures that published works remain free and accessible in perpetuity. Submitted manuscripts, once accepted, are immediately available to the public and permanently accessible free of charge on the journal’s official website (https://esp.as-pub.com/index.php/ESP). Allowing users to read, download, copy, print, search for or link to the full text of the article, or use it for other legal purposes. However, the use of the work must retain the author's signature, be limited to non-commercial purposes, and not be interpretative.

Click to download <Agreement on the Licence for the Use of Copyright on Environmental and Social Psychology>.

How to Cite

Sheila, M. N., F. Wandile, T., & Fourie, E. (2025). The impact of social media on the wellbeing and social integration of migrants from Zimbabwe in South Africa: An introductory literature review. Environment and Social Psychology, 10(2). https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v10i2.2989

The impact of social media on the wellbeing and social integration of migrants from Zimbabwe in South Africa: An introductory literature review

Manka N. Sheila

School of Social Sciences, Department of Sociology, University of Mpumalanga, South Africa, Private Bag X11283, Mbombela, 1200, South Africa.

Tsabedze F. Wandile

College of Human and Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, University of South Africa, South Africa, P.O. Box 392, UNISA, 0003, Pretoria, South Africa.

Eduard Fourie

College of Human and Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, University of South Africa, South Africa, P.O. Box 392, UNISA, 0003, Pretoria, South Africa.


DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v10i2.2989


Abstract

Migration is the movement of people from their original habitat to a place outside the border of their country of origin with the main aim of settling in the other country. The motives for this relocation are usually not predetermined and could be voluntary or involuntary, and the wellbeing of migrants is affected during the migration period. Distortion in social cohesion led to struggles in communal integration, harmonious living, language barriers, and access to economic activities by migrants. This manuscript concerns a review of narrative literature on the role of social media in facilitating wellbeing and social integration of migrants. A desktop review methodology was used to review secondary data from databases such as Google Scholar, ScienceDirect and EBSCOhost. Social media are mostly used for entertainment, news, and social interaction. Furthermore, it may assist migrants to connect with their loved ones in their countries of origin, thereby possibly enhancing their wellbeing. It is therefore important to understand the contribution of social media on the wellbeing and social integration of migrants. Findings from the review showed that social media help migrants to decide to make the move to another country and cushion the anxieties associated with the move. Migrants are often assisted through social media to make informed decisions about the host country. It was concluded that social media usage can contribute to social integration, building of a social identity and social networks, and social participation in the real world.

Author Biography

Eduard Fourie, College of Human and Social Sciences, Department of Psychology, University of South Africa, South Africa, P.O. Box 392, UNISA, 0003, Pretoria, South Africa.

Professor

References

[1]. 1.Chazalnoel MT, Ionesco D. Advancing the global governance of climate migration through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Global Compact on Migration: perspectives from the International Organization for Migration. Climate refugees: Routledge; 2018. p. 103-17.

[2]. 2.Zhira M. The Migration of Zimbabweans to South Africa and their Working and Living Conditions, 2000-2010. 2016.

[3]. 3.Hammerstad A. Securitisation from below: the relationship between immigration and foreign policy in South Africa's approach to the Zimbabwe crisis. Conflict, Security & Development. 2012;12(1):1-30.

[4]. 4.Jaji R. Non-Migration Amidst Zimbabwe’s Economic Meltdown: Rowman & Littlefield; 2023.

[5]. 5.Mutambara V, Maheshvari N. The human security implications of migration on Zimbabwean migrant women in South Africa. African Human Mobility Review. 2019;5(3):1774-96.

[6]. 6.Culbertson PE. Xenophobia: The consequences of being a Zimbabwean in South Africa. 2010.

[7]. 7.Phake KG. Understanding challenges of Zimbabwean migrants in Mahikeng, South Africa: North-West University (South Africa); 2016.

[8]. 8.Tevera D. Remaking life in transnational urban space: Zimbabwean migrant teachers in Manzini, Swaziland. Migracijske i etničke teme. 2014;30(2):155-70.

[9]. 9.Segal U. A Framework for immigration: Applications to Asians in the United States: Columbia University Press; 2002.

[10]. 10.Yang PQ. A theory of Asian immigration to the United States. Journal of Asian American Studies. 2010;13(1):1-34.

[11]. 11.Nguyen-vo T-h. A Framework for Immigration: Asians in the United States. By Uma A. Segal. New York: Columbia University Press, 2002. ix, 468 pp. 24.50. The Journal of Asian Studies. 2004;63(1):143-4.

[12]. 12.Dekker R, Engbersen G. How social media transform migrant networks and facilitate migration. Global networks. 2014;14(4):401-18.

[13]. 13.Dekker R, Engbersen G, Klaver J, Vonk H. Smart refugees: How Syrian asylum migrants use social media information in migration decision-making. Social Media+ Society. 2018;4(1):2056305118764439.

[14]. 14.Alencar A. Refugee integration and social media: A local and experiential perspective. Information, Communication & Society. 2018;21(11):1588-603.

[15]. 15.Merisalo M, Jauhiainen JS. Asylum-related migrants’ social-media use, mobility decisions, and resilience. Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies. 2021;19(2):184-98.

[16]. 16.Amit R, Kriger N. Making migrants' il-legible': The policies and practices of documentation in post-apartheid South Africa. Kronos. 2014;40(1):269-90.

[17]. 17.Budlender D, Hartman-Pickerill B. Improving the quality of available statistics on foreign labour in South Africa: Existing data-sets: African Centre for Migration and Society, University of the Witwatersrand; 2013.

[18]. 18.Brits DM, Steyn M, Hansmeyer C. Identifying the unknown and the undocumented: The Johannesburg (South Africa) experience. Forensic science and humanitarian action: interacting with the dead and the living. 2020:681-92.

[19]. 19.Lehohla P. Census 2011: population dynamics in South Africa. Statistics South Africa. 2015;83.

[20]. 20.Lehohla P. Statistics South Africa. Levels and Trends of Morbidity and Mortality among Children Aged Under-Five Years in South Africa, 2006–2010. 2013.

[21]. 21.Crush J, Tawodzera G, Chikanda A, Ramachandran S, Tevera D. South Africa case study: The double crisis–mass migration from Zimbabwe and xenophobic violence in South Africa. 2017.

[22]. 22.Machinya J. Migration control, temporal irregularity and waiting: Undocumented Zimbabwean migrants’ experiences of deportability in South Africa. Waiting and the temporalities of irregular migration: Routledge; 2020. p. 96-112.

[23]. 23.Moyo I. On borders and the liminality of undocumented Zimbabwean migrants in South Africa. Journal of immigrant & refugee studies. 2020;18(1):60-74.

[24]. 24.Mutambara VM, Naidu M. Probing the Context of Vulnerability: Zimbabwean Migrant Women's Experiences of Accessing Public Health Care in South Africa. African Human Mobility Review. 2021;7(1):25-45.

[25]. 25.Saasa S, Allen JL. Social exclusion among African immigrants in the United States. Social Work Research. 2021;45(1):51-62.

[26]. 26.Saasa S, Miller S. Biopsychosocial predictors of depression and anxiety symptoms among first-generation Black African immigrants. Social Work. 2021;66(4):329-38.

[27]. 27.Bamgbose Pederson A, Waldron E, Burnett-Zeigler I, Clark CT, Lartey L, Wisner K. Perspectives on mental illness stigma among African immigrant pregnant and post-partum women in an urban setting: a brief report. Health Equity. 2022;6(1):390-6.

[28]. 28.Green J. Is globalization over?: John Wiley & Sons; 2019.

[29]. 29.Swain D. Inequality, fragmentation, and belonging: John Berger on migrant labour. Marxism and Migration: Springer; 2022. p. 157-81.

[30]. 30.Mawadza A. The nexus between migration and human security Zimbabwean migrants in South Africa. Institute for Security Studies Papers. 2008;2008(162):12.

[31]. 31.Gül G, Arıcı G. Contribution of Choir Practices to the Integration Process of Immigrant Students. Journal of Education and Future. 2024(25):91-102.

[32]. 32.Leurs K, Smets K. Five questions for digital migration studies: Learning from digital connectivity and forced migration in (to) Europe. Social media+ society. 2018;4(1):2056305118764425.

[33]. 33.Bonga WG. Impact of xenophobia attacks in South Africa on regional integration agenda. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Publications (IJMRAP). 2021;4(2):58-62.

[34]. 34.Gillespie BJ, Mulder CH, Eggleston CM. Measuring migration motives with open‐ended survey data: Methodological and conceptual issues. Population, Space and Place. 2021;27(6):e2448.

[35]. 35.Gumede V, Oloruntoba SO, Kamga SD. Regional integration and migration in Africa: Lessons from Southern and West Africa: Brill; 2020.

[36]. 36.Hungwe C. Survival strategies of Zimbabwean migrants in Johannesburg. Jurnalul Practicilor Comunitare Pozitive. 2013;13(3):52-73.

[37]. 37.Mateko FM. Labour/Employment Relations of Zimbabwean Migrants in South Africa. American Journal of Economics and Business Innovation. 2022;1(1):11-8.

[38]. 38.Idemudia ES, Williams JK, Wyatt GE. Migration challenges among Zimbabwean refugees before, during and post arrival in South Africa. Journal of injury and violence research. 2013;5(1):17.

[39]. 39.Hiropoulos A. South Africa, migration and xenophobia. Deconstructing the perceived migration crisis and its influence on the xenophobic reception of migrants. Contemporary Justice Review. 2020;23(1):104-21.

[40]. 40.Mbuyisa NT. Factors influencing xenophobic violence on Zimbabwean migrants in South Africa: University of Johannesburg (South Africa); 2021.

[41]. 41.Zhao L. The effects of mobile social media use on older migrants’ social integration and life satisfaction: use types and self-esteem perspective. Social Science Computer Review. 2023;41(1):249-64.

[42]. 42.Quinn K. Social media and social wellbeing in later life. Ageing & Society. 2021;41(6):1349-70.

[43]. 43.Hasan SI, Yee A, Rinaldi A, Azham AA, Mohd Hairi F, Amer Nordin AS. Prevalence of common mental health issues among migrant workers: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PloS one. 2021;16(12):e0260221.

[44]. 44.MAHATO RV. BASIC GUIDELINES FOR WRITING A RESEARCH PROPOSAL FOR HEALTH SCIENCE STUDENTS. Journal of Ayurveda Campus. 2021;2(1):127-32.

[45]. 45.Dansereau S. Mineworkers' Strategies in Zimbabwe: Re-visiting Migration and Semi-proletarianization. Labour, Capital and Society/Travail, capital et société. 2002:104-30.

[46]. 46.Chikanda A. Nurse migration from Zimbabwe: analysis of recent trends and impacts. Nursing Inquiry. 2005;12(3):162-74.

[47]. 47.Willett L, Hakak Y. The immigration of social workers: From Zimbabwe to England. International Social Work. 2022;65(5):829-41.

[48]. 48.Addison L. Amplifying invisibility: COVID‐19 and Zimbabwean migrant farm workers in South Africa. Journal of Agrarian Change. 2023;23(3):590-9.

[49]. 49.Braun V, Clarke V. Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative research in psychology. 2006;3(2):77-101.

[50]. 50.Simich L, Beiser M, Stewart M, Mwakarimba E. Providing social support for immigrants and refugees in Canada: Challenges and directions. Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health. 2005;7:259-68.

[51]. 51.Vuningoma S, Lorini MR, Chigona W, editors. How refugees in South Africa use mobile phones for social connectedness. Proceedings of the 10th International Conference on Communities & Technologies-Wicked Problems in the Age of Tech; 2021.

[52]. 52.Wamara CK, Muchacha M, Ogwok B, Dudzai C. Refugee integration and globalization: Ugandan and Zimbabwean perspectives. Journal of Human Rights and Social Work. 2022;7(2):168-77.

[53]. 53.Hadebe S. Neoliberal capitalism and migration in the global south: A case of post-ESAP Zimbabwe to South Africa migration. Migration in Southern Africa. 2022:39-53.

[54]. 54.Anderegg N, Slabbert M, Buthelezi K, Johnson LF. Increasing age and duration of sex work among female sex workers in South Africa and implications for HIV incidence estimation: Bayesian evidence synthesis and simulation exercise. Infectious Disease Modelling. 2024;9(1):263-77.

[55]. 55.Udwan G, Leurs K, Alencar A. Digital resilience tactics of Syrian refugees in the Netherlands: Social media for social support, health, and identity. Social Media+ Society. 2020;6(2):2056305120915587.

[56]. 56.Lin C. Give me your wired and your highly skilled: measuring the impact of immigration policy on employers and shareholders. Documents de treball IEB. 2011(17):1-92.

[57]. 57.Keung Wong DF, Li CY, Song HX. Rural migrant workers in urban China: living a marginalised life. International Journal of Social Welfare. 2007;16(1):32-40.

[58]. 58.Miao S, Xiao Y. Does acculturation really matter for internal migrants’ health? Evidence from eight cities in China. Social Science & Medicine. 2020;260:113210.

[59]. 59.Sithole S. Migrant networks, food remittances, and Zimbabweans in Cape Town: A social media perspective. African Human Mobility Review. 2023;9(1):33-55.

[60]. 60.Ndlovu DS, Landau LB. The Zimbabwe–South Africa migration corridor. Routledge handbook of migration and development: Routledge; 2020. p. 474-8.

[61]. 61.Chen YA, Fan T, Toma CL, Scherr S. International students’ psychosocial well-being and social media use at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic: A latent profile analysis. Computers in Human Behavior. 2022;137:107409.

[62]. 62.Trąbka A. From functional bonds to place identity: Place attachment of Polish migrants living in London and Oslo. Journal of Environmental Psychology. 2019;62:67-73.

[63]. 63.Muralidharan S, La Ferle C, Sung Y. How culture influences the “social” in social media: Socializing and advertising on smartphones in India and the United States. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking. 2015;18(6):356-60.

[64]. 64.Pourmehdi M, Shahrani HA. The role of social media and network capital in assisting migrants in search of a less precarious existence in Saudi Arabia. Migration and Development. 2021;10(3):388-402.

[65]. 65.Vilhelmson B, Thulin E. Does the Internet encourage people to move? Investigating Swedish young adults’ internal migration experiences and plans. Geoforum. 2013;47:209-16.

[66]. 66.Komito L. Social media and migration: Virtual community 2.0. Journal of the American society for information science and technology. 2011;62(6):1075-86.

[67]. 67.McGregor E, Siegel M. Social media and migration research. United Nations University-Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute …; 2013.

[68]. 68.Borkert M, Fisher KE, Yafi E. The best, the worst, and the hardest to find: How people, mobiles, and social media connect migrants in (to) Europe. Social Media+ Society. 2018;4(1):2056305118764428.

[69]. 69.Marlowe J. Transnational crisis translation: social media and forced migration. Disaster Prevention and Management: An International Journal. 2020;29(2):200-13.

[70]. 70.Lyons E. Team production in international labor markets: Experimental evidence from the field. American Economic Journal: Applied Economics. 2017;9(3):70-104.



21 Woodlands Close #02-10 Primz Bizhub Singapore 737854

Email:editorial_office@as-pub.com