SOCIAL REPRESENTATIONS OF SOCIAL MEDIA USERS TOWARD SYRIAN REFUGEES IN TURKEY

Abstract

The Syrian refugees crisis has increasingly continued its effect in both Turkey and other neighboring countries and European counries for more than five years, and refugees have not adapted themselves to society in country of asylum, and were exposed to social exclusion. The purpose of the study is to clarify social representations of social media users toward Syrian refugees in Turkey with a qualitative approach; because social representations may indicate the reasons of problems within the integration process of Syrian refugees and Turkish society, and social exclusion toward Syrian refugees. Accordingly 98 entries, which are taken from frequently used social dictionaries of Turkey, are evaluated by researchers and seven thematic units are formed. Thematic units which include perceived negative characteristics of Syrian refugees; because of Syrian refugees perceived threats in Turkey; criticisms toward Syrian refugees policy of Turkish government; positive attitudes toward Syrian refugees; perceived political importance of Syrian refugees; proposed solutions toward perceived Syrian refugees problem; and other criticisms toward Syrian refugees issue, indicates the feelings, thoughts and behaviors of individuals about Syrian refugees. Findings provide useful information which can be used to simplfy the social adaptation of Syrian refugees into Turkish society.