Crisis narratives and (dis)placement: Space, time and earthquakes in Mayotte

Abstract

Narrative analysis can serve as an interdisciplinary bridge for understanding social phenomenon, such as natural disasters, through a linguistic lens. This article analyzes narratives about an unprecedented swarm of earthquakes experienced by inhabitants of the island of Mayotte in the Mozambique Channel. This panic-inducing crisis had people leaving their homes in the middle of the night in order to gather outside in search of refuge. Stories are analyzed using the threshold chronotope, exploring liminality, evaluation, and (dis)placement in time. Findings show that movement in space and time plays an important role in plot development. Analysis of evaluative language reveals how storytellers assess events and express affect. During the night, exterior spaces become indexed with safety and togetherness, whereas interior spaces index isolation and death.

Keywords

• Chronotope
• Narratives
• Crisis
• Evaluation
• Earthquakes
• Space