Visual Representation of the Female in the Turkish Press

This study analyses the female visuals in six Turkish newspapers representing different socio-political positions. The study argues that the exclusion of visuals from earlier analyses creates a pitfall and aims to expand the previous research with the incorporation of visual analysis. Secondly, as is the case in previous research, approaching secular and religious press as two separate camps tends to obscure the similarities between religious and secular newspapers and the differences within secular and within religious newspapers with respect to the depiction of women. Therefore this study aims not only to look at the differences between secular and religious newspapers in Turkey but also to the differences within them in terms of the visual representation of women. Methodologically iconographical analysis of Erwin Panofsky is employed to analyze the characteristics and meanings of the visuals. In theoretical terms theories of modernity and gender in relation to Muslim contexts inform the study.

Publisher: Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Communication Association, Dresden International Congress Centre, Dresden, Germany
Year of Publication: 2008