STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION IN ACTION: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE WHITE HOUSE PRESS STATEMENTS AND THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESS RELEASES

This study examines the strategic communication practices of the European Commission and the White House in addressing migration issues. Strategic communication plays a crucial role in shaping public perception and influencing agenda-setting. In recent years, both the European Union and the United States have experienced migration waves from neighboring countries, resulting in different practices and approaches in their communications. This study aims to compare how these two institutions used strategic communication in their press releases on migration. Through a computerized analysis, it identifies the key themes present in their messaging, and the manual analysis examines the similarities and differences in their communication styles. The study consists of a mix of quantitative and qualitative analysis. The dataset is based only on primary sources of press releases from the European Commission and press statements from the White House on migration-related topics. The study consists of two main analyses; a thematic analysis conducted using IRaMuTeQ and a manual analysis of the selected press releases/statements. By offering a comparative perspective, the research contributes to a broader understanding of strategic communication practices and the role of press releases in policymaking. Keywords: strategic communication, press releases, comparative analysis, European Commission, White House, migration crisis, immigration, border security, EU-Turkey Deal, US-Mexico border