The Kuwaiti Government’s Twitter Discourse During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Toward a Crisis Communication Model Using SCCT and CERC

Abstract

In an effort to de-Westernise crisis communication literature, this study explores the Kuwaiti government’s COVID-19 discourse over Twitter by using criteria from Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication model (CERC) and Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT). The Kuwaiti government mostly used instructing strategies, complying with crisis communication principles. However, contrary to recommendations from literature, reputation strategies were prioritised over adjusting strategies, confirming the influence of politics during crises. The results also revealed that the public interacted with instructing and adjusting strategies more than reputation strategies demonstrating the public’s need for information rather than reputation. Regarding Twitter use, the results indicated that the government lacked the necessary skills to communicate proficiently over the platform. The implications of the findings are discussed in relation to theory development in crisis communication and governmental use of social media.