Empowerment, Self-Reification and Economic Aspirations Through Digital Media Among Migrant Workers in Southern China

Mobile phones and the myriad applications that run on them have become a ubiquitous presence in our lives. From the tools that help us move around and stay in touch with others to the possibility of monetizing our content and making a career online, there are many ways in which people make use of these devices. Even in situations of marginality and poverty, digital social media can play an important role in shaping sociality, self-representation and even ambitions and expectations. Focusing on the case of internal migrant workers - those moving within the subjects use digital social media in their daily lives and how those interactions relate to their offline lives. In this chapter, I explore coping strategies regarding empowerment, personal aspiration and economic aspiration through digital media among migrant workers in the southern Chinese metropolis of Shenzhen.