Search

The following editorial essay draws on important concepts from the special issue to encourage reflective discussion about digital nomadism. The piece investigates and debates the core components of this phenomenon, based on insights from researchers and articles featured in the special issue. Consequently, it fosters a wide-ranging and informed dialogue that emphasizes the complex facets and nuances of digital nomadism, inspiring readers to engage in the investigation of this emerging way of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital nomadism gradually expanded during the 2010s. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, remote work (a prerequisite to digital nomadism), suddenly became mainstream. In this new context the term digital nomadism is increasingly used in ways that are broader or different to its original conception. This paper reviews scientific literature and draws on the author's ethnographic fieldwork to create an updated classification of contemporary digital nomadism that acknowledges the broad spectrum of individuals, groups, communities, identities, and imaginaries labelled with the term digital nomad. The paper updates the definition of digital nomadism and provides a new taxonomy which subdivides the digital nomad model into five distinct types: freelance digital nomads; digital nomad business owners; salaried digital nomads; experimental digital nomads and armchair digital nomads. It also proposes that six key variable themes should be applied to these classifications. These are: autonomy over mobility; homebase practices; domestic vs. transnational travel; legal legitimacy; work-life balance and coworking space usage. The taxonomy and the variable themes are proposed as a roadmap for future research and as a tool so researchers and policymakers can more accurately evaluate real-world examples of digital nomad context, motivation, practice, and impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals in the creative sector often pursue the idea of the location-independent style of living and working (Müller, A. 2016. The digital nomad: Buzzword or research category? Transnational Social Review, 6(3), 344–348). Digital nomads represent a modern "knowmad" society (Moravec, J. W. 2013. Knowmad society: The "new" work and education. On the Horizon, 21(2), 79–83), whose boundaries between leisure, travel, and work appear blurred (Reichenberger, I. 2018. Digital nomads–a quest for holistic freedom in work and leisure. Annals of Leisure Research, 21(3), 364–380). This new type of fluid workforce tends to merge itself with the selected geographic area or environment for a brief period of time, and by that utilizing its logistic and digital infrastructure to maintain an individualized lifestyle (Richards, G. 2015. The new global nomads: Youth travel in a globalizing world. Tourism Recreation Research, 40(3), 340–352). Digital nomadism has brought upon a new form of creative tourism (Putra, G. B., & Agirachman, F. A. 2016. Urban coworking space: Creative tourism in digital nomads perspective. In Proceedings of Arte-Polis 6 International Conference (pp. 169–178)) that emancipates the involvement of individuals in the creative life of the destination and interaction with local communities by exchanging skill sets and ideas in a synergetic way (Richards, G., & Marques, L. 2012. Exploring creative tourism: Editors Iintroduction. Journal of Tourism Consumption and Practice Volume, 4(2), 1–11) by frequently using local coworking spaces. However, the motivational factors behind the usage of local coworking spaces remain unclear, as do the benefits offered by these flexible office environments. This paper thus investigates the popularization of digital nomadism and the influence of the digital nomad lifestyle on the work-leisure balance that appears to be affected by the use of coworking spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]