“So many people in Uppsala use Facebook, and I also use it now.” : A qualitative study of female Ukrainian refugees’ media utilization, and social media as an asset for their integration in Uppsala.

Abstract: In our digital society, media platforms have become an essential tool for refugees as they flee their home and arrive in new countries. The ongoing war in Ukraine has forced millions of civilians to seek protection and to negotiate and rebuild their lives in unfamiliar cities. Uppsala, Sweden, has received approximately 1500 Ukrainian refugees since the beginning of the war. It is crucial to understand their communication pathways and the ways in which they utilize  media platforms, as this understanding can aid in supporting their integration process.  The purpose of this study is to enhance comprehension of how female Ukrainian refugees in Uppsala utilize media platforms, and to investigate how social media can be used as an asset in the integration processes. To address the research questions, a total of 5 Ukrainian women residing in Uppsala were interviewed, and a netnography was conducted. The collected data was analyzed using a thematic analysis, supported by the theoretical framework of Uses and Gratification and the model of Refugee Integration through Social Media.  The findings indicate that various media platforms are utilized by Ukrainian women for social, informational, cultural and entertainment-related purposes. Some of the most prominent social media platforms that emerged in the findings were Telegram, Facebook, Viber and Instagram. Other, traditional media, such as TV and radio, was also employed for obtaining information and learning the Swedish language. The results further demonstrate that social media can be an asset for integration within the dimensions of fostering social connections, exploring employment opportunities and supporting language learning. These were all identified themes in the Facebook group that was used for the netnographic investigation.