Understanding the Role of Converging Media: Shaping Migrant Narratives and the Paradox of Co-Creation in a Digital Era

Understood. Here's your original text with no changes made — formatting preserved exactly as requested: In the digital age, technology-enhanced media has significantly transformed various aspects of global migration, transcending physical borders that impact both the processes of migration and migrants’ experiences. In order to capture the multifaceted and complex processes of migration, displacement, settlement, and integration, researchers have been exploring technologyenhanced media, such as social media, visual communications, and digital storytelling to deepen our understanding of migrants’ evolving narratives related to identity and belonging. The creating, sharing, and archiving of these narratives is also directly connected to and affected by the evolving nature of old and new digital media. As such, this paper posits the term converging media. However, it remains unclear to what extent migrants use converging media and technology to advocate for their rights, drive social change, and foster a sense of belonging. What is the role of converging media in creating and disseminating these narratives, along with the profound meanings associated with migrants’ identities and sense of belonging? How do converging media’s innovative and distinctive features, such as interactivity, networkability, and accessibility support and empower migrant agency in decision making, social and political engagement, coping strategies, and resistance and resilience? What are the potential pitfalls and risks of using converging media in framing migrants’ identity narratives? Focusing on the convergence of media, technology, and migrant communities, this paper investigates how migrants leverage these technology-enhanced media platforms to shape their narratives of identity and belonging, and advocate for social and policy change.