Social Media Framings of Syrian Immigration to Turkey

My recent project delves into the social media discourse surrounding Syrian immigration to Turkey, with a particular focus on the Twitter landscape during the first half of 2020. This study addresses three pivotal questions: identifying the main topics in discussions about Syrian immigration, analyzing how these discussions evolved in response to international events, and understanding the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and international conflicts on attitudes towards immigrants.

Role and Responsibilities:

Serving as both a co-first author and the corresponding author, I played a pivotal role in shaping the design of the research methodology and interpreting the results to draw meaningful conclusions.

Methodology:

Leveraging advanced Natural Language Processing (NLP) techniques, I meticulously analyzed a dataset comprising nearly 300,000 tweets. This approach allowed for a nuanced understanding of the public discourse and its shifts over time.

Key Findings and Contributions:

The study unveiled two major findings:

  1. There was a marked increase in tweets categorized as “social benefit demands” in tandem with the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  2. Posts with patriotic and militaristic content had a relatively higher rate of pro-immigrant sentiment, especially noticeable after Turkey’s military offensive against the Syrian regime in late February 2020 (Operation Spring Shield).

I thoroughly discussed these findings, providing insights into the underlying attitudes and societal dynamics at play. The research emphasized the prevalence of welfare chauvinism in Turkish Twitter users’ anti-immigrant attitudes, exacerbated by the pandemic. Interestingly, cultural and lifestyle concerns were not as predominant as seen in European contexts.

Moreover, the study shed light on how ambitious foreign policy can cultivate a “patronizing tolerance” towards immigrants, contingent upon the immigrants’ submission and gratitude. This form of militaristic nationalism allows for a partial inclusion of immigrants, albeit under stringent conditions.

Skills and Tools Used:

This project honed my skills in data analysis, natural language processing, and sociological interpretation. I utilized cutting-edge NLP techniques to process and analyze the data, ensuring precision and reliability in the findings.

Reflection and Learning:

This project was instrumental in deepening my understanding of social media discourse and public attitudes towards immigration in Turkey. It highlighted the complexity of societal attitudes and the influence of international events and national policies on public opinion.

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