Paper short abstract:

This paper focuses on the process of adaptation of the Chilean population (eg exiles, workers, students) in London and Bristol. It addresses the strategies used for the maintenance of their cultural identity and for the development of social support networks in physical and/or virtual contexts.

Paper long abstract:

The cross-cultural mobility of Chileans, whether forced or voluntary, involves the adaptation to a different culture and the development of social networks, which also provides support for the creation of a community. Whether this community is extended or nuclear, there is a sense of a shared identity, where culture finds a way to be expressed, be it in the way of traditional representations, behaviors, attitudes, or in the shared cultural memory.

This presentation is focused on three main aspects: a) the voluntary and involuntary migration of Chileans to London and Bristol, as exiles, relatives of exiles, as well as people looking for work or to continue their education; b) the process of adaptation and acculturation of Chilean immigrants and the strategies used for dealing with intercultural differences, and c) the exploration of the ways in which Chilean immigrants maintain their cultural identity, traditions, and beliefs in a different cultural context. This last aspect involves the development and maintenance of social support networks (at home and abroad), including a high reliance on information and communications technologies (e.g., internet and telephone).