Online Discourses Around Disasters and Migration: Securitized vs Humanizing : A Case Study of Turkey

Abstract: This study explores the discourses related to forced migration in the aftermath of disruptive emergencies through a case study of Turkey. 2 devastating earthquakes hit ten provinces on February 6, 2023, with magnitudes of 7.7 and 7.6, and over 50,000 lives were lost In Turkey. 1.7 million refugees were residing in earthquake-affected provinces. The study aims to contribute to the understanding of meaning construction by host community members around refugees in the context of a disruptive emergency, using the Relational Dialectics Theory (RDT 2.0), theory of securitization, and human security to analyze online narratives of the earthquake and refugees. The study adopts a qualitative approach, with a case study design drawing on the method of contrapuntal analysis. This study's findings contribute to understanding the discursive interplay between Securitized Discourse (SD) and Humanizing Discourse (HD) in the aftermath of disruptive emergencies and shed light on the meaning construction by host community members around refugees. Additionally, this study extends the use of Relational Dialectics Theory (RDT 2.0) and the theory of securitization in the analysis of online narratives of crises. The focus of the study is to investigate the different discourses surrounding refugees after disasters, without intending to provide an analysis of the political actions or a moral assessment of the competing discourses. Limitations of the study include the use of online data and a specific platform within a specific time frame.