This study examines two-way communication and trust-building in disaster management from a dialogic public relations perspective by comparatively analyzing the communication practices of the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency of Türkiye (AFAD) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) of the United States. Disasters are not limited to physical destruction and loss of life; they are also critical processes that directly affect public trust in institutions. In this context, the quality of disaster communication plays a decisive role in crisis management success and the strengthening of social solidarity. The study adopts a qualitative research design based on a comparative case study approach. Data were collected through document analysis and online content analysis of official websites, social media accounts, and publicly accessible institutional documents. Using content analysis, the communication practices of AFAD and FEMA were examined within the framework of dialogic public relations principles, including mutuality, participation, interaction, and relationship sustainability. The findings reveal that AFAD’s communication practices are largely one-way and information-oriented, whereas FEMA employs a multi-channel, interactive, and more transparent communication strategy. The study concludes that trust-building in disaster management cannot be achieved solely through crisis-time information sharing, but requires continuous, ethical, and participatory communication practices grounded in dialogic public relations.
Disaster communication, Dialogic public relations, Two-way communication, Institutional trust, AFAD- FEMA.