The impact of the ‘refugee crisis’ on the EU’s digital reputation

Social media such as twitter have become crucial instruments of public diplomacy used by national, subnational or inter-national political entities to project an appealing image to the rest of the world. Social media have also become arenas where private individuals can contribute to or challenge these public relations efforts. This paper examines these dynamics through the lenses of social identity theory to assess how social media can shape these entities' identities as actors on the world stage and their reputation. The case study examined is that of the European Union and its handling of the ‘refugee crisis’.