New Publication: The Images of Syrian Refugees in the Mainstream Narrative: A Case Study of Lebanon

By: AHMAD BARAKAT

This paper re-examines the images that were associated with the

Syrian refugee crisis between 2015-2018 through a case study in-
vestigating depictions in the mainstream narrative. The main con-
tribution of the paper is to establish a link between the mainstream

narrative and the negative images of Syrian refugees, and to draw
parallels between the media and political discourse surrounding
this subject. The main argument is that the mainstream narrative
has significantly contributed to communicating a negative image

of Syrian refugees in host societies through a stereotyped catego-
rization. It aggravated the negative image of Syrian refugees

through overreaction, panic, and by placing focus on the most
controversial and sensitive problems in the host communities,
such as demography, unemployment, and security.

Ahmad Barakat is a visiting lecturer in Middle East Politics at the University of Birmingham. His research examines the political economy in the Middle East. Ahmad’s work has appeared in a number of leading journals such as Oxford, Routledge, and the Center for Syrian Studies at the University of St. Andrews. More broadly, he is interested in the politics and diplomacy of the Middle East. Ahmad completed his Ph.D. in Political Science and International Studies at the University of Birmingham. He is a former Syrian diplomat and a human rights expert.