The article provides an in-depth analysis of a netnography that was conducted over six months in a Hikikomori community on the messaging app, Telegram. The research amassed an impressive 91,000 messages and 411,000 words to explore the impact of digital technologies on the Hikikomori phenomenon. This phenomenon, fi rst studied in Japan in the late 1990s, has been attracting increasing attention in recent years, with research eff orts focusing on various aspects such as their relationship with family, school and the world of work. The article begins by reviewing relevant literature and outlining the netnographic method employed before presenting a thorough qualitative analysis of the collected messages
A Complex Interplay: An Exploratory Netnographic Analysis of Hikikomori Socialization Strategies / Esposito, Vincenzo. - In: REVISTA DE CERCETARE SI INTERVENTIE SOCIALA. - ISSN 1583-3410. - 88:1(2025), pp. 55-70.
A Complex Interplay: An Exploratory Netnographic Analysis of Hikikomori Socialization Strategies
Vincenzo Esposito
Primo
2025
Abstract
The article provides an in-depth analysis of a netnography that was conducted over six months in a Hikikomori community on the messaging app, Telegram. The research amassed an impressive 91,000 messages and 411,000 words to explore the impact of digital technologies on the Hikikomori phenomenon. This phenomenon, fi rst studied in Japan in the late 1990s, has been attracting increasing attention in recent years, with research eff orts focusing on various aspects such as their relationship with family, school and the world of work. The article begins by reviewing relevant literature and outlining the netnographic method employed before presenting a thorough qualitative analysis of the collected messagesI documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
