Paper short abstract:

On their way to Europe, refugees use facebook for communication and information. This paper explores how STS helps to conceptualize the role of social media within critical migration research, specifically with respect to the “autonomy of migration”.

Paper long abstract:

When Hungary closed its border for refugees in September 2015 the migrants quickly changed their route to central Europe. Their flexible reaction on border policies can be explained by an intensive use of social media for communication. On facebook and elsewhere, refugees shared their experiences on the Balkan route in real time via videos, photos, key names or contacts and give advice to "followers". So while technologies obviously contribute to migrant agency, the critical research on migration has not yet fully integrated insights from STS to better understand the notion of "autonomy of migration". The latter refers to the refugees' ability to be highly self-determined and flexible actors during their journey. My argument here is that technologisation has a direct influence on migrant agency. STS should be brought together with critical migration studies to examine how social media can support refugees within their migration process through networking, information sharing and contact to supporter groups. This paper shows how the use of social media contributes to migrant agency by organizing the escape and movement, overcoming controls and surveillance and realizing asylum rights.