Kurdish Diaspora in Japan: Navigating Kurdish Identity and Activism on Social Media

Abstract

The Kurdish community in Japan offers a dynamic diaspora, where social media plays a pivotal role in expressing and negotiating Kurdish cultural and political identities. This research examines how online communication and social media activism empower Kurdish diaspora members in Japan, facilitating transnational connections, identity expression, and advocacy for Kurdish causes. By exploring the intersection of Kurdish identity, activism, and social media in the Japanese context, this study enhances our understanding of evolving diasporic experiences in the digital age. This study employs a content analysis approach, examining Facebook posts by Kurdish users in Japan and the online activities of civil organisations affiliated with the Kurdish diaspora, to understand the representation of Kurdish identity and activism on social media. The analysis of collected data reveals that Kurdish nationalism is actively expressed within social media platforms, despite limitations such as the predominance of the Turkish language for representing Kurdish nationalism and identity. This highlights the significance of social media in facilitating Kurdish political mobilisation and the resilience of the Kurdish diasporic community in Japan.