Information Vulnerability Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic: Syrian Refugees in Turkey

Abstract

States were caught unprepared by the COVID-19 pandemic. This caused a hitch in briefing the public with true and sufficient information. Refugees may be exposed to these drawbacks more due to the language barrier and social isolation. They are an especially vulnerable group in the COVID-19 pandemic due to their adverse life conditions and difficulty in accessing social services and information. In this paper, we study the Syrians who fled to Turkey during the Syrian civil war. We examine the Syrians' information vulnerability and sources of information using original online survey data and archives of official institutions in charge of the refugee response and the management of the pandemic. It is concluded that Syrians are less knowledgeable than the host community regarding COVID-19 precautions and administrative measures. It is also found that the Syrians' level of information on administrative measures is likely to increase when institutional announcements are followed. Additionally, naturalized Syrians are more likely to acquire true information on administrative measures than the Syrians under temporary protection. We argue that official institutions play a crucial role in building refugees' information resilience, yet their briefing is unsystematic and uncomprehensive.