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“THE CENTURY OF TURK(IYE)”: A COMPARATIVE EXAMINATION OF EURASIANIST IDENTITY IN TURKISH MEDIA SPHERE AMIDST NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICTS

Sivaslioglu, Firat Berk LU (2024) SIMZ41 20241
Graduate School
Abstract
Eurasia represents a unique blend of European and Asian geographies, transcending geographical conceptualization to encompass cultural and ethnic elements embodying the ideology of Eurasianism. Initially developed by Russian philosophers for Russian politics, Eurasianism extends across Europe and Asia to varying degrees. In Türkiye, its engagement ranges from nationalist to Kemalist and even socialist, shifting over time. For instance, the geopolitical promises have shifted from “the 21st century will be the century of Turks” to “the 21st century will be the century of Türkiye.” These changes are particularly evident in times of crisis, such as in Nagorno-Karabakh, a region infused with ethnic and national values, where, due to the nature... (More)
Eurasia represents a unique blend of European and Asian geographies, transcending geographical conceptualization to encompass cultural and ethnic elements embodying the ideology of Eurasianism. Initially developed by Russian philosophers for Russian politics, Eurasianism extends across Europe and Asia to varying degrees. In Türkiye, its engagement ranges from nationalist to Kemalist and even socialist, shifting over time. For instance, the geopolitical promises have shifted from “the 21st century will be the century of Turks” to “the 21st century will be the century of Türkiye.” These changes are particularly evident in times of crisis, such as in Nagorno-Karabakh, a region infused with ethnic and national values, where, due to the nature of their establishment after the USSR’s collapse, territorial integrity with ethnically labeled populations is crucial for the sovereign national existence of Azerbaijan and Armenia. This research undertakes a comparative examination of Eurasianist identity in Turkish media, focusing on its portrayal and evolution amidst the geopolitical upheavals of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts from the war in 2020 through Azerbaijan’s military operation in 2023. Employing a critical geopolitical framework and discourse analysis, the study scrutinizes selected Turkish media outlets to reveal how Eurasianism is not only represented but also instrumentalized to spur specific identity and values differently across two-time spans.

The research focuses on two state-backed media outlets (TRT Haber and Sputnik Türkiye) and a bilingual weekly of Armenians of Türkiye (Agos), providing a comprehensive view of how different media platforms contribute to the geopolitical imagination within Türkiye. Findings reveal a clear division among digital news media outlets, highlighting the relationship between media representation and political agendas. Using a post-structuralist perspective, it has been found how different media outlets use language and narratives that align with their political views on Eurasianist ideology. TRT Haber enhances Eurasianist nationalistic narratives to bolster regional power projection, while Sputnik Türkiye challenges Western hegemony and promotes multipolarity. Conversely, Agos introduces a humanitarian perspective as a counter-discourse to these dominant Eurasianist narratives. This thesis enhances our understanding of the current geopolitical landscape in Eurasia while underlining the critical role of media in shaping political realities in contemporary Türkiye. (Less)
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author
Sivaslioglu, Firat Berk LU
supervisor
organization
course
SIMZ41 20241
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Eurasianist Discourse, Popular Geopolitics in News Media, Identity Politics and Nationalism.
language
English
id
9156774
date added to LUP
2024-06-26 12:31:12
date last changed
2024-06-26 12:31:12
@misc{9156774,
  abstract     = {{Eurasia represents a unique blend of European and Asian geographies, transcending geographical conceptualization to encompass cultural and ethnic elements embodying the ideology of Eurasianism. Initially developed by Russian philosophers for Russian politics, Eurasianism extends across Europe and Asia to varying degrees. In Türkiye, its engagement ranges from nationalist to Kemalist and even socialist, shifting over time. For instance, the geopolitical promises have shifted from “the 21st century will be the century of Turks” to “the 21st century will be the century of Türkiye.” These changes are particularly evident in times of crisis, such as in Nagorno-Karabakh, a region infused with ethnic and national values, where, due to the nature of their establishment after the USSR’s collapse, territorial integrity with ethnically labeled populations is crucial for the sovereign national existence of Azerbaijan and Armenia. This research undertakes a comparative examination of Eurasianist identity in Turkish media, focusing on its portrayal and evolution amidst the geopolitical upheavals of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts from the war in 2020 through Azerbaijan’s military operation in 2023. Employing a critical geopolitical framework and discourse analysis, the study scrutinizes selected Turkish media outlets to reveal how Eurasianism is not only represented but also instrumentalized to spur specific identity and values differently across two-time spans. 

The research focuses on two state-backed media outlets (TRT Haber and Sputnik Türkiye) and a bilingual weekly of Armenians of Türkiye (Agos), providing a comprehensive view of how different media platforms contribute to the geopolitical imagination within Türkiye. Findings reveal a clear division among digital news media outlets, highlighting the relationship between media representation and political agendas. Using a post-structuralist perspective, it has been found how different media outlets use language and narratives that align with their political views on Eurasianist ideology. TRT Haber enhances Eurasianist nationalistic narratives to bolster regional power projection, while Sputnik Türkiye challenges Western hegemony and promotes multipolarity. Conversely, Agos introduces a humanitarian perspective as a counter-discourse to these dominant Eurasianist narratives. This thesis enhances our understanding of the current geopolitical landscape in Eurasia while underlining the critical role of media in shaping political realities in contemporary Türkiye.}},
  author       = {{Sivaslioglu, Firat Berk}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{“THE CENTURY OF TURK(IYE)”: A COMPARATIVE EXAMINATION OF EURASIANIST IDENTITY IN TURKISH MEDIA SPHERE AMIDST NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICTS}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}