Alternative Media and the Securitization of Climate Change in Turkey

Abstract

Studies on securitization dynamics in a growing number of sectors have been conducted including securitization of climate change. However a relatively understudied agent of securitization is media. In the proposed analysis we study Turkey's media framing of climate change and whether and how it relates to the framings of security in general to acquire in-depth understanding of the role national media plays in securitization of climate change. Along with alternative online media outlet Bianet mainstream outlets (Sabah Sozcu Hurriyet Milliyet) are analyzed. This article addresses the following main research question: How do the mainstream and alternative media frame climate change in the Turkish context? In order to answer this question it adopts content analysis to analyze selected frames on climate change-related news utilized in Turkish media. Data have been collected and coded for three periods: first the period of September-December 2007 when climate change was high on the global agenda. Second January 1 to March 25 2015 which was the period before the Pew survey began. Third we have collected data for October 1 to November 4 2015 which is the period just before the United Nations Paris Agreement on Climate Change was signed. We find alternative media's potential to serve as alternative public sphere by voicing the unspoken in public debate on climate change.