Analysis of Twitter shares on Syrians in Turkey within the framework of social identity theory

The civil war that broke out in Syria in 2011 has led to intense migration flows to Turkey. In ten years, the relationship between the citizens of the Republic of Turkey and the Syrians under Temporary Protection Status has become more complex than the initially constructed "host-guest" relationship. The deterioration of the relationship between these two groups over the years and the opposite direction of harmony have made it necessary to apply to the Social Identity Theory, which examines the dynamics of inter-group relations. In this thesis, Twitter shares, which are proven to be the dominant social media tools that individuals choose to express themselves politically, are taken under examination in order to analyze the perception of the Turkish public regarding the Syrians within the framework of this theory. The data collected between 2010 and 2021 shows that the social identity built in the Turkish public opinion is highly motivated by the threat of the Syrian issue, thus creating pejorative discourses in areas such as economy, security and demography and developing demands in these areas.