The use of social media as a tool for humanitarian diplomacy: Example of Turkish Red Crescent

The change in the structure of the international system after 1990 and the increasing effect of globalization in all its dimensions have led to the transformation of the new order into a multi-centered and multi-actor structure. In this order, the involvement of non-state actors in international decision-making processes, the ease of access to information through new communication technologies, and the relative awakening of the world public opinion have entailed the increase of the persuasive capacity of the states. The changing role of states in the system has shifted the role of diplomacy to protect or increase their legitimacy in the international arena. In today's new order, where allurement and persuasion are vital, actors have turned to their soft power. To this aim, actors in the new order conduct public diplomacy activities to convince the international public and foreign people based soft power sources such as culture, art, education, health. Nowadays, the vast majority of state and non-state actors emphasize being "people-oriented" in public diplomacy and international public relations activities. In this global order, where convincing the audiences is very important, increased sensitivity of the state to realities that have a direct impact on people such as war, conflict, terrorism, poverty, has enhanced the role of humanitarian diplomacy in communication and international relations. In this study, firstly, a frame has been drawn for the concept of soft power and public diplomacy accompanying the change in the international system. Then, the link between Turkish foreign policy and Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency, Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency and Red the Crescent's humanitarian aid activities have been examined qualitatively through in-depth interviews. Additionally, within the Turkish Red Crescent sample, the social media practices of humanitarian diplomacy activities, which aim at finding solutions to humanitarian crises, have been analyzed.