A. Sabuncuoğlu İnanç, P. Marc Henry, ODÜ Sosyal Bilimler Araştırmaları Dergisi, Temmuz 2020; 10 (2), 262-273 ∙ 262 Representation of Turkey’s Operation Peace Spring in the French Media: The cases of Le Figaro and Libération Türkiye’nin Barış Pınarı Harekatı’nın Fransız Medyasında Temsili: Le Figaro ve Libération Örneği 1 Ayda SABUNCUOĞLU İNANÇ ARAŞTIRMA MAKALESİ Marc-Henry PIERRE2 Gönderim Tarihi: 10.01.2020 | Kabul Tarihi: 12.06.2020 Abstract The critical political economy of the media analyzes the production of media content that sustains imbalanced power relations and biased representations of reality. Research that addresses Turkey’s image in the European media remains theoretically limited. This article aimed to analyze the representation of Turkey’s Operation Peace Spring in the French media. Using the critical theory of the political economy of communication and a qualitative method that includes content analysis and critical discourse analysis, this paper examined the Turkish military operation. A sample of two French newspapers, Le Figaro and Libération was used in the latent power relations and value-based conflict that hide behind the manifest media representation of Peace Spring. This negative representation is expressed through biased and partial information regarding the this study. The findings showed that the French media make a negative representation of Turkey’s Operation operation by the French media makes up a discourse that nourishes and maintains imbalanced power relations military operation. Moreover, the findings revealed that the negative representation of the Turkish military provides a substantial contribution to the existing literature regarding the relations between Turkey and Europe.and value-based conflict between Turkey and Europe. Without any pretense of being exhaustive, this research Keywords: Media representations, Turkey, France, Power relations. Özet Medyanın eleștirel ekonomi politiği, dengesiz güç ilişkilerini sürdüren ve gerçekliğin taraflı temsillerini sürdüren medya içeriği üretiminin temelini oluşturur. Türkiye’nin Avrupa medyasında imajını ele alan- çalışmalar sınırlı kalmaktadır. Bu makale Türkiye’nin Barış Pınarı Harekâtı’nın Fransız medyasında temsilini incelemeyi amaçlamıștır. İletişimin eleştirel ekonomi politiğini ve içerik analiziyle eleştirel söylem çözümlem esini içeren nitel karma yöntemin kullanıldığı bu çalışma, Türk askeri operasyonunun açık medya temsilinin arkasına saklanan gizli güç ilişkilerini ve değere dayalı çatışmayı yeniden yapılandırmıștır. Bu çalışmada iki Fransız gazetesi olan Le Figaro ve Libération örneği kullanılmıştır. Bulgular, Fransız medyasının Türkiye’nin Barış Pınarı Harekâtı’nı olumsuz temsil ettiğini göstermektedir. Bu olumsuz temsil, Türk askeri operasyonu hakkında taraflı ve kısmi bilgilerle ifade edilmektedir. Ayrıca bulgular, Türk askeri operasyonunun Fransız medyası tarafından olumsuz temsil edilmesinin, Türkiye ile Avrupa arasındaki dengesiz iktidar ilişkilerini ve değer temelli çatışmayı besleyen ve sürdüren bir söylem oluşturduğunu öne sürmektedir. Kapsamlı olma iddiası olmadan, bu araştırma Türkiye ile Avrupa arasındaki ilişkilere ilişkin mevcut literatüre önemli bir katkı sağlamaktadır.Anahtar Sözcükler: Medya temsilleri, Türkiye, Fransa, İktidar ilişkileri. E-posta: [email protected], Orcid No: 0000-0003-4999-9663 1 Sakarya Üniversitesi, İletişim Fakültesi, Halkla İlişkiler ve Reklamcılık Bölümü, E-posta: [email protected], Orcid No: 0000-0002-8007-0599 2 Sakarya Üniversitesi, Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü, İletişim Bilimleri ABD Doktora Öğrencisi, 263 ∙ A. Sabuncuoğlu İnanç, P. Marc Henry, Sosyal Bilimler Araştırmaları Dergisi, Temmuz 2020; 10 (2), 262-273 Introduction In the international division of labor, the political economy of mass media refers to a struggle relations,for the control mass mediaof media in a content.given country Over thecontribute last century, to shaping mass perception media have and played social representationsa major role in ofshaping other publiccountries. opinion In this to the respect, benefit it isof obviousthe political that establishment.the public is closely In the linked dynamics to the of value international systems with respect to its possible accession to the European Union. In France, the question of the possible Turkey’sconveyed European by the mainstream Union membership media. In thehas Western created media,intense Turkey’s debates. image France is constructedis among the exclusively countries between Turkey and Europe date back to the mid-19 century. Indeed, Turkey has been a member of thethat UN demonstrate since 1945, thethe strongestCouncil of oppositionEurope since to 1949,Turkey’s and membership.NATO since 1952. However, diplomatic relations this endeavor unanimously. This opposition is manifested through the construction of a negative imageDespite of Turkey, Turkey’s viewed insistence as a non-democratic, on joining the Muslim, European and Union, non-European the European country. Union The members European oppose press review of the recent Turkish military operation on the border into north-eastern Syria is proof of the geopolitical information war between central powers and periphery countries. In fact, on October into northeastern Syria. The Turkish government claimed that the operation was aimed at expelling terrorist9, 2019, Turkey organizations launched from a military across operationthe border called and creating Operation a securityPeace Spring zone (Barıșin north-eastern Pınarı Harekâtı) Syria, where around 3.5 million refugees would resettle. The military operation received mixed reactions from the international community. Canada and ten European countries put an embargo on imports of arms against Turkey. Similarly, The United States of America imposed sanctions against Turkey’s completely denied the reasons for the Turkish military operation. Europe condemned unanimously theministers military and operation, senior officials. and Turkey On October moved 25, further 2019, awaythe European from its Parliamentpossible European adopts a Union resolution member that- ship. The stance of European countries towards the Turkish military operation is constructed in Europe and Turkey. the media discourse. This discourse is rooted in power relations and value-based conflict between dramatically. Operation Peace Spring drew the French media’s attention to Turkey by its dramatic aspect.In the Thus, Western the nature media, of information Turkey’s visibility about Turkey and invisibility has often beenin the either French neglected media stems or represented from the geopolitics of information that hides the agenda of the western media. This article aims to analyze the representation of Turkey’s Operation Peace Spring in the French media and to understand the logic behind this representation. The paper draws its academic relevance to the gap in the existing literature regarding Turkey’s image in the French media. Understanding a social phenomenon requi- instrument that includes content analysis and critical discourse analysis. Two French newspapers, Leres Figaro an interpretive and Libération analysis. purposefully Based on the selected, qualitative made research up the sample method, of thisthe study.paper Sinceused anthe analytical research questions address both the media content and the logic behind this content, the theoretical fra- mework of the paper is situated in the critical political economy. The Critical Political Economy of Communication to the late 1960s and early 1970s. The political economy of communications describes how politics According to Hardy (2014), the first scientific study relating to critical political economy dates communication as a technical tool serving politics and economy, critical political economy views and economy relate to communication. While the neoclassical approach to political economy views communication as a complex process (Bașaran and Geray, 2005). This complex process requires a A. Sabuncuoğlu İnanç, P. Marc Henry, ODÜ Sosyal Bilimler Araştırmaları Dergisi, Temmuz 2020; 10 (2), 262-273 ∙ 264 comprehensive analysis that involves history, social integrity, moral philosophy, and praxis. Thus, more than a means to an end, the concept of communication makes up a crucial determinant of social - addressesinteractions. power Mosco relations (2009) that provides make aup conception social hierarchies. of communication that highlights social relations hips. In the same vein, Hardy (2014) stresses that the critical political economy of communication - Therefore, critical political economy analyzes how capital and government influence communica tion practices by shaping perception and social representations of reality. Governments, capital, and- tioncorporations of media makecontent. up Itinfluential follows that structural the editorial forces line that of are the manifested media is determined in trade and by the these international structural forces.division The of labor. media Herman editorial and line Chomsky is regarded (1988) as highlight a propaganda the weight model of closelyowners’ intertwined group in the with produc the geopolitics of information. - assumptionAs a summary stresses of thethat political media structure economy oftends media, towards McQuail concentration. (2005) identifies In the seven third core assumption, assump McQuailtions. The notes first that assumption the global highlights integration the of importancemedia tends ofto logicdevelop. and The economic fourth assumptioncontrol. The stresses