Representing the Danish Cartoon Crisis: An Identity-Focused Analysis in Turkish Islamic Newspapers Dilan Esra Baycan Master in Nordic Media Department of Media and Communication Faculty of Humanities 07 August 2020 ABSTRACT This research is an identity-focus analysis of the Danish cartoon crisis in Turkish Islamic newspapers. Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten published twelve cartoons visually depicting Islam Prophet Mohammed on 30 September 2005. In a few months, mass protests began and spread to many countries. The newspapers gave wide coverage to the cartoon crisis. I have analyzed the cartoon crisis news in Turkish Islamic newspapers by appealing Critical Discourse Analysis. In this study, the critical approaches to concepts of identity and discourse were used. The results showed that all Islamic newspapers have common 14 discursive themes and similar narratives during the crisis. Although the newspapers have a consensus on some features of the identity representations, there are also conflicts between them. I explored the main two approaches in Islamic newspapers; traditionalists and reformists. Nevertheless, each newspaper appealed to specific schemes, grammatical and semantic structures. As a result, they structured various self/other nexus inside and outside of Turkey. Keywords: Danish Cartoon Crisis—Critical Discourse Analysis—Islamic Identity—Turkish Politics—Islamic Discourse ii PREFACE The process of writing this thesis gave me the opportunity to experience the mistakes that everyone made and helped me understand the value of time and coffee. To begin with, I would like to thank my supervisors Einar Wigen and Cristina Archetti. Without Einar, I would still be in a vicious circle of my thoughts. I am beyond grateful for all feedbacks and support. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the StAR Programme and University of Oslo to award scholarship and to support academic freedom. Special thanks to General President of Turkish Librarian Associations, Ali Fuat Kartal. Without his help, I would never get comprehensive newspaper archive in Turkey. I would like to thank Nirmala Eidsgård to her practical solutions in my academic life. Merci Esma Baycan Herzog for great philosophical conversations that encouraged me to call into every question first, to be a fabulous sister pushed me to sit and write immediately after. I also would like to thank İpek Pınar Şahin for her time, effort and sincere friendship. A big thanks to Alp Eren Topal for getting round to small talks and smart feedbacks. My sincere thanks also must go Garip Eren Yerlikaya for being with me all the time under all circumstances. I am appreciated to every member of my family for their unconditional love. Thanks Oslo for cold, dark, winter Viking nights. I would like to dedicate this dissertation to my grandmother, Filiz Peyruze Kars, who influenced my personality profoundly with her wise soul and pure heart. iii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AKP JUSTICE AND DEVELOPMENT PARTY CDA CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS CDT CRITICAL DISCOURSE THEORY CHP REPUBLICAN PEOPLE’S PARTY DİB DIRECTORATE OF RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS DP DEMOCRAT PARTY EC EUROPEAN COMMISSION ECHR EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS EU EUROPEAN UNION MGH NATIONAL VISION MOVEMENTS MNP NATIONAL ORDER PARTY ANAP MOTHERLAND PARTY MSP NATIONAL SALVATION PARTY NATO NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION OIC ORGANIZATION OF ISLAMIC COOPERATION RP WELFARE PARTY SP FELICITY PARTY UN UNITED NATIONS US UNITED STATES USA UNITED STATES OF AMERICA YÖK COUNCIL OF HIGHER EDUCATION iv TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 3 1.1 Methodology ..................................................................................................................... 7 1.2 Theoretical Framework ..................................................................................................... 7 1.3 Literature Review ........................................................................................................... 10 1.4 Thesis Outline ................................................................................................................. 12 2. THEORY .......................................................................................................................... 13 2.1 Ontic Assumptions: Theories of the Reality and the ‘Real World’ over There ............. 13 2.2.1 Discourse .................................................................................................................. 14 2.2.2 Identity ..................................................................................................................... 17 2.3 Discursive Identity .......................................................................................................... 19 3. Narrative ........................................................................................................................ 21 4. Media and Islamic Identities ......................................................................................... 22 5. Islamic Identities: conflicts and consensus ................................................................... 23 3. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND...................................................................................... 32 3.1 Backstage of the Cartoons .............................................................................................. 32 3.2 Key Events and Time Range in Denmark Cartoon Crisis .............................................. 34 3.2.1 Phase 1: Initial Responses (September 30, 2005- December 25, 2005) .................. 37 3.2.2 Phase 2: Internationalization (December 26, 2005- February 1, 2006) ................... 37 3.2.3 Phase 3: Climax and Crisis Management(February 2 2006- February 27 2006) .... 38 3.2.4 Phase 4: Re-domestication (February 28 2006- March 20 2006) ............................ 39 4. METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................................... 40 4.1 Selection Criteria for Data .............................................................................................. 40 4.1.1 Islamic Newspapers ................................................................................................. 40 4.2.2 Paid and Daily Newspapers ..................................................................................... 41 4.2.3. National Newspapers .............................................................................................. 42 4.4.4. Right-wing Newspapers .......................................................................................... 42 4.2 Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA): ............................................................................... 43 4.2.1 What is CDA? .......................................................................................................... 43 4.2.2 Why CDA? ............................................................................................................... 44 4.2.3 Macrostructure Analysis ......................................................................................... 46 4.2.4. Microstructure Analysis .......................................................................................... 48 5. NEWSPAPER ANALYSIS .............................................................................................. 56 5.1 Macrostructure Analysis ................................................................................................. 56 5.1.1. Thematic Structure: Major Themes and Key Ideas ................................................ 56 5.1.2 Schematic Structure ................................................................................................. 61 5.2. Microstructure Analysis ................................................................................................ 67 5.2.1 Freedom of Speech and Press: Blasphemy is not a Freedom .................................. 68 5.2.2 Islamophobia: Are You Afraid of Us Enough? ....................................................... 71 5.2.3 Do not Draw ‘Our’ Prophet ..................................................................................... 74 5.2.4 More Than a Newspaper, More Than a News: “JP is on Pins and Needles”........... 76 5.2.5 You Made Our Youth Angry: Keep Calm but Sorry not Sorry ............................... 78 5.2.6 Moderate Disobedience by Economical Boycott: We Suggest You not to Buy ...... 80 5.2.7 Alliance of Civilizations vs. Clash of Civilizations ................................................. 82 5.2.8 Shadowy Forces, Scheduled Game, Provocation: Behind the Scenes ..................... 85 5.2.9 After a Thousand Years: The Crusaders are Coming Back ..................................... 88 5.2.10 Muslim World is Uniting; Turkey is Leading ........................................................ 92 5.2.11 Bizarre Murder of Priest: “It Should not Have Been, But…” ............................... 94 5.2.12 Waiting for an Apology ......................................................................................... 98 5.2.13 Hypocrisy of the West ......................................................................................... 100 5.2.14 Our Internal Matter: Headscarf, Laicism, Armenians, Kurds, the EU and Beyond ......................................................................................................................................... 101 CONCLUSION .....................................................................................................................