Voices in Transit: Communication, Identity, and the Politics of Belonging in Migration
Liza Nanda and Nayan Deep Singh Kanwal
40 Views | 16 Downloads
Abstract:
This study develops a conceptual framework to examine how communication shapes identity formation and the politics of belonging within contemporary migration, with a particular focus on the Canadian context. Migration is not merely a physical movement across borders but also a communicative and cultural transition through which migrants negotiate language, identity, memory, and social recognition in unfamiliar environments. Despite the growing scholarship on migration and multiculturalism, limited attention has been paid to the ways communication mediates experiences of inclusion, exclusion, and belonging in everyday migrant life.
The study adopts a qualitative and interpretive approach through a critical synthesis of interdisciplinary literature drawn from migration studies, communication studies, cultural theory, and gender studies, alongside Canadian immigration and multicultural discourses. The paper examines how linguistic barriers, cultural dislocation, racialization, gendered experiences, and social perceptions influence the communicative realities of migrants in host societies. Equal attention is given to the experiences of migrant women, whose negotiations of identity and belonging are often shaped by intersecting layers of marginalization and cultural expectations.
The paper argues that migrant voice operates within a persistent tautness between expression and silence, visibility and anonymity, acceptance and alienation. In multicultural societies such as Canada, belonging is shown to be an evolving process. The study further proposes a conceptual linkage between communication, identity, voice, and belonging, demonstrating how these dimensions collectively shape migrant experiences.
By foregrounding communication as central to migration, this study contributes to emerging interdisciplinary conversations on identity, cultural negotiation, and belonging in increasingly diverse societies.
Keywords:
Belonging, Canada, Communication, Identity, Migration, Migrant voice, Multiculturalism, Women.
Citation: Liza Nanda and Nayan Deep Singh Kanwal (2026). Voices in Transit: Communication, Identity, and the Politics of Belonging in Migration. Horizon J. Hum. Soc. Sci. Res. 8 (1), 215–232. https://doi.org/10.37534/bp.jhssr.2026.v8.n1.id1367.p215
Download Full PDF
