Communication over Social Media: Promoting Resilience and Enhancing Recovery in Refugee Crises

Effective communication in the recovery stage of any crisis plays an integral part to lessen the crises' impacts and to promote the resilience of those affected. Resilience is the ability of a social system to respond and recover from disasters. This study builds on the current understanding of social capital theory by exploring its applicability to the use of social media (SM) platforms for mutual benefit by Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and their beneficiaries in the settings of the Syrian refugee crisis in Jordan. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with NGOs working with different stakeholders and beneficiaries in two Jordanian governates (i.e. Amman and Irbid). The analysis is ongoing, but the preliminary results reveal that typical communication over SM tools for NGOs is mainly to publicise NGOs’ activities, internetworking, and recruiting volunteers by announcing job opportunities on SM. Whereas for refugees, the communication over SM aims to rebuild social bonds between them and their family members and friends who are displaced and to seek information that enhances their awareness. The results of this study will provide insights that help NGOs formulating and improving SM policies and programs to promote resilience in conflict-affected zones.