Abstract

Mobility and connectivity have undergone unprecedented transformation with the advent and widespread adoption of digital technologies which allow physical and virtual interactions across the globe. As a result, individual identities are under the inevitable influence of these intensified forms of global mobility and connectivity fascinated by digital information flow and interaction. Ongoing developments in digital technologies further stimulate this dynamic reshaping of individual identities through a variety of digital platforms such as online communities, digital diasporas and international social networks. What seems to be common among various forms of digital networking is the intention to be a part of a global community while trying to present and preserve what is locally possessed, creating a context of glocal interaction blending local attributes with global perspectives through digital communication. This paper analyzes how global digital technologies, with their fluid and immersive network, enable world citizens to develop and renegotiate their social and cultural identities transcending physical and temporal boundaries. Setting out from the analysis of the presented cases, this paper also discusses the pros and cons of such digital networking and offers suggestions to effectively manage such worldwide mobility and connectivity fostering more respected, inclusive and immersive interactions across cultures which are the building blocks of a glocal world.