Drawing on the conceptual lens of othering, this article links public policy narratives regarding the relocation of Syrian refugees inside the United States to the establishment of a “state of exception.” Using narrative policy analysis, 36 governor statements issued in response to the 2015 terror attacks in Paris, France are catalogued as either “accepting” or “rejecting” of the Obama Administration’s refugee relocation program. This examination suggests the rejecting narratives construct a “sense of siege” in citizens driven by security fears and portrays refugees as villains. The author argues that the fear-based language in these policies, which is used to justify a state of exception, further marginalizes the status of the stateless noncitizen refugees. © 2017, World Affairs. All rights reserved.

Othering Europe Giorgio Agamben Obama Justifying a state of exception Paris terror attacks Identity Refugee relocation program Migration and immigration issues Villains Refugees Fear France Syrian refugees Policy narratives Middle East

Paris refugee Ile de France relocation Ville de Paris policy analysis France Syrian Arab Republic United States immigration migration