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Abstract

This article examines the United States’ decision to admit 10,000 Syrian refugees in the fiscal year of 2016 amidst potential national security concerns brought by the incoming refugees. In past studies, United States’ policies of refugee admission mainly focused on the security and political interests, while this particular admission decision reflected a different interest consideration, namely the ideational aspect of the United States as a nation of immigrants. Through discourse analysis on the speeches and remarks made by government actors of the United States, this research offers an alternative perspective on understanding how the United States came to a decision that may not reflect traditional security interests, but reflects its ontological security needs or its security of being. Using the framework of analysis offered by Brent J. Steele, this research finds that the United States’ awareness of its capabilities, along with past memory as a nation of immigrants and urgings from fellow international actors, affects the United States in reaching the decision to admit Syrian refugees.

Bahasa Abstract

Tulisan ini menganalisis keputusan Amerika Serikat menerima 10.000 pengungsi Suriah di tahun fiskal 2016 di tengah kekhawatiran potensi ancaman keamanan yang dibawa para pengungsi. Studi terdahulu melihatkebijakan penerimaan pengungsi di Amerika Serikat umumnya berfokus pada kepentingan keamanan politik, sementara keputusan penerimaan pengungsi Suriah mencerminkan adanya kepentingan lain yang menjadi pertimbangan, yaitu aspek ideasional sebagai nation of immigrants. Dengan menggunakan analisis diskursus terhadap pidato dan pernyataan resmi para aktor pemerintahan Amerika Serikat, artikel ini menawarkan perspektif alternatif dalam memahami bagaimana Amerika Serikat mengambil keputusan yang tidak sejalan dengan kepentingan keamanan tradisional namun didorong pertimbangan lain, yaitu keamanan ontologis atau keamanan akan identitas diri. Menggunakan kerangka analisis oleh Brent J. Steele, tulisan ini menemukan bahwa kesadaran Amerika Serikat akan kapabilitasnya, disertai oleh ingatan masa lalu akan identitas sebagai bangsa imigran dan imbauan aktor-aktor internasional, mendorong Amerika Serikat untuk berusaha melanggengkan identitasnya dengan menerima pengungsi Suriah.

References

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