REPRODUCTION OF NATIONAL DISCOURSE THROUGH DIFFERENT IDEOLOGIES IN NEWSPAPERS

Abstract

The aim of this study is to reveal how the reproduction of nationalist discourse through different ideologies is constructed in newspapers and to examine the correlation between identity, ideology and discourse. Thus, the study is based on poststructuralist conceptualism defending the identities as discourses that are structured through representations. In this study, the reproduction of nationalist discourses as representations of right and left-wing ideology through party newsletters published during the 2015 presidential elections held in North Cyprus, which is the most recent elections. Data are analysed using the Critical Discourse Analysis Method. In this context, news published in Güneş newspaper, a media organ of right-wing ideology, Ortam newspaper, a media organ of left-wing ideology, as well as the independent newspaper Kıbrıs are all analyzed. Findings suggest that Güneş Newspaper emphasized Turkey as the motherland in the identity discourse more often and became synonymous with Turkey, while Ortam Newspaper emphasized the Turkish Cypriot identity. Kıbrıs Newspaper, on the other hand, varied according to the predominant discourse. The commonality between Güneş and Ortam newspapers is that they put forward discourses in parallel to the power. As a result of the study, it was found that the party newspapers in North Cyprus had significant rocketry in the formation and the spread of ideologically based identity discourses in political communication processes. In these newspapers, it was seen that, “us and them” phenomenon was emphasized in the construction of national identity. It is found that the party newspapers have an important role in reinforcing and building the perceptions of ‘Turkishness’ in the right-wing discourse and ‘Cypriot’ and ‘Turkish Cypriot’ in left-wing discourse. Furthermore, the use of language, definitions and representations are emphasized through out the study.