The importance of kin relations and neighbourhoods has received considerable attention in research on transnational migration. Further, research in transnational families and digital media highlights the strategies for maintaining family relationships By contrast, research on friendship is currently limited and, more so, the centrality of the emotional aspects of friendships as intimacy as well as networks of support has received less attention, particularly from a culturally comparative perspective. Drawing on qualitative research in Melbourne (n = 59) and Singapore (n = 61), this article examines the ways in which international students invest in developing friendships with other international students based on shared circumstances in the cities in which they are living and studying. The article contributes to fields of literature in transnational migration and cross-cultural perspectives towards friendship and argues that the kinds of friendship forged by the experiences of international students are significant for capturing an aspect of the diversity of migrant relationships.

中文翻译：

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“每个人都需要朋友”：国际学生之间的情感，社交网络和数字媒体

亲属关系和邻里的重要性在跨国移民的研究中受到了相当大的关注。此外，在跨国家庭和数字媒体中的研究突出了维持家庭关系的策略。相比之下，对友谊的研究目前是有限的，更重要的是，友谊作为亲密关系以及支持网络等情感方面的中心地位受到的关注较少，尤其是从文化比较的角度来看。本文以墨尔本（n = 59）和新加坡（n = 61）的定性研究为基础，根据居住和学习城市的共同情况，研究了国际学生如何投资与其他国际学生发展友谊。