Abstract
This chapter interrogates the theory of networked individualism by focusing on families’ use of social media and messaging apps in Malaysia. In the first instance, networked individualism posits urbanisation, geographical, and social mobility as laying the foundations for the development of ego-centred networks. These factors are said to weaken family and community cohesiveness rooted in shared locality, experiences and social connections. There is a tension in the theory, however, as the same information and communication technologies that are seen to be intensifying the effects of these social changes are also noted to be instrumental in maintaining the relevance of families. This can be seen primarily through their use of the internet and mobile phones to maintain supportive and affective ties. Networked individualism has a respectable history of empirical support, but mostly in a north American context. This chapter draws upon data from Malaysia in order to contribute to the debate. It focuses in particular on the family, noting that patterns of multigenerational households and strong family orientations demonstrate how uses of social media and messaging apps are embedded in sociocultural values that tend to counterbalance the individualistic choices implicit in networked individualism. That said, there are also examples of Malaysians using social media and messaging apps to separate themselves from the influence of their families.
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Hopkins, J. (2020). Networked Individualism and Networked Families in Malaysia. In: Cabañes, J.V.A., Uy-Tioco, C.S. (eds) Mobile Media and Social Intimacies in Asia. Mobile Communication in Asia: Local Insights, Global Implications. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-024-1790-6_3
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