The Politics Of Fear: Fear Of Migrants As An Instrument Shaping The Political Environment

Bekir Gündoğmuş; Mahmut Mete

Article Details

The Politics Of Fear: Fear Of Migrants As An Instrument Shaping The Political Environment

Authors:

Bekir Gündoğmuş | Mahmut Mete

Publisher:

Erciyes University

Main Topics:

İletişim ve Medya Çalışmaları (Diğer)

Journal:

Erciyes İletişim Dergisi Vol.11 Issue 1, pp.61-80

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

1/2024

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001311003

pISSN:

1308-3198

Keywords:

Abstract:

 Fear; throughout history, it has been a powerful tool used by authorities, governments and leaders to shape social reactions, manipulate public opinion, influence the masses and shape the political environment. Today, the common feature of the politics of fear on a global scale is that it is directed at immigrants. Leaders and political parties are instrumentalizing the fear of immigrants in order to gain legitimacy and support for their policies and to gain the support of the voters in the election processes. Fear on immigration is used in ways that reflect immigrants as a threat to economic stability, national security, nation-state and cultural identity through a process that emphasizes political communication methods. As a result of the manipulation of the public with the fear of immigrants, travel bans, border walls, mass deportation and restrictions that make citizenship processes difficult are accepted by the societies; political attitudes and preferences of individuals and masses are shaped. Therefore, fear as an effective emotion in political decision-making processes and politics towards this emotion can shape the political conjuncture of countries. In this study, the feeling of fear; it has been tried to determine the psychosocial factors in the channeling of immigrants to immigrants, and how it is instrumentalized in order to shape political policies and elections in a psychopolitical framework is embodied with examples. In this context, the study analyzes the effect of fear on political policy and elections by revealing the historical and current situation of fear of immigrants in the United States, European countries and Türkiye.

 Fear; throughout history, it has been a powerful tool used by authorities, governments and leaders to shape social reactions, manipulate public opinion, influence the masses and shape the political environment. Today, the common feature of the politics of fear on a global scale is that it is directed at immigrants. Leaders and political parties are instrumentalizing the fear of immigrants in order to gain legitimacy and support for their policies and to gain the support of the voters in the election processes. Fear on immigration is used in ways that reflect immigrants as a threat to economic stability, national security, nation-state and cultural identity through a process that emphasizes political communication methods. As a result of the manipulation of the public with the fear of immigrants, travel bans, border walls, mass deportation and restrictions that make citizenship processes difficult are accepted by the societies; political attitudes and preferences of individuals and masses are shaped. Therefore, fear as an effective emotion in political decision-making processes and politics towards this emotion can shape the political conjuncture of countries. In this study, the feeling of fear; it has been tried to determine the psychosocial factors in the channeling of immigrants to immigrants, and how it is instrumentalized in order to shape political policies and elections in a psychopolitical framework is embodied with examples. In this context, the study analyzes the effect of fear on political policy and elections by revealing the historical and current situation of fear of immigrants in the United States, European countries and Türkiye.

 Fear; throughout history, it has been a powerful tool used by authorities, governments and leaders to shape social reactions, manipulate public opinion, influence the masses and shape the political environment. Today, the common feature of the politics of fear on a global scale is that it is directed at immigrants. Leaders and political parties are instrumentalizing the fear of immigrants in order to gain legitimacy and support for their policies and to gain the support of the voters in the election processes. Fear on immigration is used in ways that reflect immigrants as a threat to economic stability, national security, nation-state and cultural identity through a process that emphasizes political communication methods. As a result of the manipulation of the public with the fear of immigrants, travel bans, border walls, mass deportation and restrictions that make citizenship processes difficult are accepted by the societies; political attitudes and preferences of individuals and masses are shaped. Therefore, fear as an effective emotion in political decision-making processes and politics towards this emotion can shape the political conjuncture of countries. In this study, the feeling of fear; it has been tried to determine the psychosocial factors in the channeling of immigrants to immigrants, and how it is instrumentalized in order to shape political policies and elections in a psychopolitical framework is embodied with examples. In this context, the study analyzes the effect of fear on political policy and elections by revealing the historical and current situation of fear of immigrants in the United States, European countries and Türkiye.

 Korku; tarih boyunca otoriteler, iktidarlar ve liderler tarafından toplumsal tepkilere yön vermek, kamuoyunu manipüle etmek, kitleleri etkilemek ve politik iklimi şekillendirmek için başvurulan güçlü bir araç olmuştur. Günümüzde ise korku siyasetinin global ölçekte ortak özelliği, göçmenlere yöneltilmiş olmasıdır. Liderler ve siyasi partiler göçmen korkusunu iktidarlarına meşruiyet ve politikalarına destek sağlamak, seçim süreçlerinde seçmenlerin desteğini kazanmak gayeleri ile araçsallaştırmaktadır. Göç konusunda korkuya, siyasal iletişim yöntemlerine vurgu yapan bir süreç vasıtası ile göçmenleri ekonomik istikrar, ulusal güvenlik, ulus devlet ve kültürel kimlik açısından birer tehdit olarak yansıtma biçimlerinde başvurulmaktadır. Kamuoyunun göçmen korkusu ile manipüle edilmesi sonucunda ise seyahat yasakları, sınır duvarları, toplu tehcir ve vatandaşlık süreçlerini meşakkatli hâle getiren kısıtlamalar toplumlar nezdinde kabul görmekte; birey ve kitlelerin siyasi tutum ve tercihleri şekillendirilmektedir. Dolayısıyla siyasi karar alma süreçlerinde etkili bir duygu olarak korku ve bu duyguya yönelik siyaset, ülkelerin politik konjonktürünü şekillendirebilmektedir. Bu çalışmada korku duygusunun; göçmenlere kanalize edilmesindeki psikososyal etkenler tespit edilmeye çalışılmış, psikopolitik bir çerçevede siyasi politikalar ve seçimleri biçimlendirmek maksadıyla nasıl araçsallaştırıldığı örneklerle somutlaştırılmıştır. Çalışma bu bağlamda, Amerika Birleşik Devletleri, Avrupa ülkeleri ve Türkiyede göçmen korkusunun tarihsel ve güncel durumunu ortaya koyarak korkunun siyasi politika ve seçimler üzerindeki etkisini analiz etmiştir.

Article Details

The Politics Of Fear: Fear Of Migrants As An Instrument Shaping The Political Environment

Authors:

Bekir Gündoğmuş | Mahmut Mete

Publisher:

Erciyes University

Main Topics:

İletişim ve Medya Çalışmaları (Diğer)

Journal:

Erciyes İletişim Dergisi Vol.11 Issue 1, pp.61-80

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

1/2024

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001311003

pISSN:

1308-3198

Politics of Fear

Fear of Immigrants

Immigration Policies

Psychopolitical Analysis

Political Communication.Korku Siyaseti

Göçmen Korkusu

Göç Politikaları

Psikopolitik Analiz

Siyasal İletişim.

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Bekir Gündoğmuş | Mahmut Mete

Publisher: Erciyes University

Main Topics: İletişim ve Medya Çalışmaları (Diğer)

Journal: Erciyes İletişim Dergisi Vol.11 Issue 1, pp.61-80

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 1/2024

Document Language: English

Document ID (Org No.): 2001311003

pISSN: 1308-3198

Issues

Authors:

Bekir Gündoğmuş | Mahmut Mete

Publisher:

Erciyes University

Main Topics:

İletişim ve Medya Çalışmaları (Diğer)

Journal:

Erciyes İletişim Dergisi Vol.11 Issue 1, pp.61-80

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

1/2024

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001311003

pISSN:

1308-3198