Educating the Public: A Qualitative Study of YouTube Refugee Law Videos

This dissertation examines the underlying textual and visual messages of videos directed at the public about International Refugee Law through a Critical Discourse Analysis. Research questions and findings focus on the legal accuracy and implications, the portrayal of parties involved in domestic and international responses to refugees, and expectations of YouTube U.S. audiences. It highlights the miscommunication of law and history to YouTube viewers, the absence of refugee voices, the distinct spheres of discourse beneath which refugee agency can be seen, the underrepresentation of certain populations of refugees, the silence regarding racial and religious characteristics despite their extreme importance in refugee narratives and political responses, and the role of passivity to which the audience is relegated. Finally, it notes the communication of power and the messages’ practical implications.