Gender, Violence, Populism and (Social) Media in Turkey

Abstract

This chapter revisits the issue of media representation of gender-based violence with a focus on social media on the Istanbul Convention in Turkey. After summarizing the similar anti-gender debates and policies throughout the world, the chapter first reviews the research literature on gender, violence, and the media. Then, the historical context of the Istanbul Convention in Turkey is summarized. The analysis of Twitter reveals that a wide coalition of feminists, the LGBTQI movement, leftists, and social democrats defend the right to live while pro-AKP and pro-Erdogan Islamist populists frame the issue as a crisis of family and traditional values with the conspiracy about the West. After discussing the research findings, the chapter ends by listing the future challenges.