Paper short abstract:

This paper examines dwelling practices of Moroccan nationals who reside and work in the Turkish metropolis Istanbul. Based on fieldwork in the Turkish megacity, the ethnographic investigation aims to better understand the role of mooring in a digital age.

Paper long abstract:

This paper addresses the settlement strategies of Moroccan middle-class professionals who arrived in Istanbul in recent years. Since the free trade agreement between Turkey and Morocco in 2006, increasing numbers of Moroccan nationals have moved to the Turkish megacity. Relocating to interstices in the polycentric agglomeration, Moroccan middle-class residents of Istanbul bore testimony to the rise of digital technologies in the megacity connecting Asian and European markets. The main purpose of this paper is to more comprehensively understand the intertwining of mooring in a new urban environment and digital connectedness with transnational networks. Based on long-term fieldwork combining in-depth interviews with participant observation, the case of Moroccan residents of Istanbul provides much-needed insights into the social dynamics inherent in dwelling in a digital age. The study critically examines how Moroccan nationals residing in Istanbul make sense of their uses of digital media in their homes. The ethnographic analysis of their digital practices at home is set in the context of their professional trajectories and personal strategies for making a living in Istanbul. Moroccan nationals reported that they often lead a life between sustained interactions on social media platforms and involvement in their local neighbourhoods. Switching between digital and physical spheres, they experience face-to-face and mediated communication situations on a day-to-day basis. Grounded in the ethnographic evidence collected in Istanbul, the paper suggests avenues for exploring homing practices and lifeworlds of members of the Moroccan diaspora.