Reflections of the Turkey in the Mirror of Orientalism: Orientalist Discourse in the British Press Regarding Turkey's EU Membership

Abstract

As a basic discourse resource, media narratives and especially news reports play an important role in the construction and representation of nations and national identities. Thus, in order to comprehend how Turkey and Turkish identity are constructed and represented in the Western media, 'news discourse strategies' should be analyzed. This study addresses the issues regarding the Orientalist construction of Turkey and Turkish identity in two leading British newspapers, The Guardian and The Times in the year of 2004. In addition it is argued that both of these newspapers that are respectively defined as liberal and conservative regenerate an Orientalist discourse presenting Turkey as a 'non-European' space and culture, and Turkish identity as the out-group / other. Orientalist discourse that is constructed in the news of The Guardian and The Times regarding Turkey can be clearly seen in referential strategy or strategy of nomination and predication strategy.