Help wanted. Expatriate bloggers unite!
My main interests have for some time been in the fields of writing, storytelling, culture, identity and everything in between. So, when I had to pick a topic for my thesis, I found a way to combine them all. Thus, I plan to look into the weblogs of American expatriates and see if I can find stories of identity.
This might make me look like a sloth trying to get out of actually having to talk to people. Rest easy, that’s just a perk. I'm one of those oddballs who find the weblog medium too interesting to pass up. Also, in many instances, expatriates who blog are keen storytellers interested in reflecting on - and communicating their own development, which is exactly what I’m looking for.
I will ask questions like these: How do people present and construct identity through their blogs? How do processes of acculturation influence the narration of identity? Which stories do they tell, and how are their stories told? What do the stories signify to the storyteller? If blogging can be seen as a descendent of diary writing, what are the implications of personal journaling going public? What does the Internet bring to the mix?
Now, what do I need from you?
I greatly appreciate all kinds of advice. Really. I mean it. Anything goes.
But most urgently I’d like your help in locating expat blogs in a vast and disorganized blogosphere.
You can enter tips and links in the comment field, or send me an e-mail. Either way you shall find yourself on the receiving end of imaginary hugs and lots of love.
Only US citizen blogs???
Yeah - I was wondering the same thing. Why only US citizens? What about the fact that being expatriated from your home makes you 'the same' as any other member within the expatriate community, and that your identity is all mixed up with that?
Or something. I dunno. Somedays are good, I know who I am and where I'm going. Other days are crap, and I'm like spacedust (see my blog for entry on this).
Good luck with teh research though.
Nomes
I'm an American expat in Beijing. Feel free to check out my blog, but I've only been here 3 weeks and most of my stories so far are not so good!
Hi, thanks for feedback!
I think that both country of origin as well as destination offers a lot of variating variables. The reason for choosing American bloggers only, was to have at least one constant in the rather chaotic population - so I wouldn't have to take all the different cultures into consideration.
In a perfect world I would want to focus on expatriates in Norway, but there aren't enough of these who keep blogs, especially not in a language I'm able to read.
Totally awesome thesis topic, I would say!
One think I would like to note, as a person formerly married to a Greek and now moving (singly) to Honduras, is that you will likely want to have separate sections or chapters for expats who married locals versus those who did not. (You probably already thought of this.) In terms of the "identity and acculturation" issues, marriage to a local may well be a significant factor.
Just my two cents. Good luck and happy researching!
Peace people
We love you
We too
http://app.sprayblogg.no/trackback/ping/1992368
