Tracing the evolving actor network: A social network analysis of the 2018 Mayotte crisis in the press

Abstract

The media, especially the press, play a crucial role in shaping public understanding during risk and crisis management, acting as intermediaries between various actors and the public. However, their framing of sources can introduce biases into these representations. Limited analysis exists regarding how press coverage portrays relationships between crisis and risk management actors. Using social network analysis, this study maps quotation networks in press coverage of a seismo-volcanic crisis in Mayotte, a French overseas department. This approach allows for an overview of the relationships between actors, highlights unique aspects related to the context and media portrayal, reveals underlying representations and levels of trust among interviewed actors, and visualises the network's dynamics over time. Analysis revealed variations in narrative approaches among newspapers, with some focusing on specific aspects. The results show that national authorities received more attention than local elected representatives and that scientific figures dominated reported speech, while the population's perspective remained relatively passive despite its centrality to the quotation network. Prominent individuals held significant positions, emphasising the importance of personal connections in communication and revealing a potential distrust of political and scientific institutions. This finding underscores the need for greater proximity between information sources and the affected community.