A Phone of My Own. Gender, Religion and Technology

The invisibility of immigrant women has a negative impacton their integration into the host society. This article examines how accessto technology, particularly mobile devices, is an element that can fosterthe empowerment of immigrant women with religious beliefs who livein the Raval neighborhood of Barcelona. A questionnaire was handedout to 238 women from different origins and different religions, whichwe complemented with six in-depth interviews. Women’s empowermentin the public sphere and their resulting visibility will not be possible ifthey do not have their own digital tools to connect with the host society.Although 88% of the women we surveyed own a mobile device, possessionis not everything. Digital competency (59% admit to having none)and sociolinguistic and cultural competencies are also necessary. In addition,social elements – such as an educational, work-related or social activity– are important in motivating them to expand their networks digitally,so that their use of digital tools does not imply shutting them up intheir family’s past: 58% of these women use new technologies to talk tofamily or other people in their home country.