Social communication of migrants through everyday life practices in Malta

Abstract

This study employs an ethnographic approach to examine the social communication processes of migrants in the Mediterranean island state of Malta. Data were collected over a two-year period through semi-structured interviews with thirty-five participants and participant observation in settings where migrants were actively engaged in social life and in neighbourhoods densely populated by migrants across the island, supplemented by online observation. The findings point out the forms of interaction migrants establish with both the local community and their own ethnic networks, the challenges they encounter, and the factors shaping these processes. Bilingualism emerges as both an opportunity and a barrier, with English serving as the primary social communication language, while knowledge of Maltese provides local and bureaucratic advantages. The study highlights the significant influence of socioeconomic status on migrants' social communication experiences. Individuals facing socioeconomic disadvantages tend to have communication networks mainly confined to their ethnic communities. Based on these findings, the study recommends developing policies to enhance migrants' social inclusion and addressing online and offline narratives.