Normalizing Human-Animal Power Relations Through Media: Zoo discourses in Turkey

Sezen Ergin Zengin

doi:10.16878/gsuilet.580339

FR TR EN

NORMALISER LES RELATIONS DE POUVOIR ENTRE HUMAIN-ANIMAL PAR LE BIAIS DES MÉDIAS : LE DISCOURS DES ZOOS EN TURQUIE

Öz

Dans ce travail, les discours des zoos dans les médias sont étudiés en tant qu’un domaine approprié afin d’approfondir les relations de pouvoir homme-animal. Une forme de l’analyse critique du discours est effectuée dans les discours de la presse quotidienne nationale sur comment les discours des zoos représentent les animaux à travers les choix lexicaux, les structures grammaticales ainsi que les stratégies discursives telles que le capitalisme, l’hospitalité et la sauvegarde. Dans l’ensemble, ces stratégies fonctionnent pour cacher la domination, l’oppression et les souffrances des animaux sauvages derrière l’image bienveillante des institutions zoologiques qui promeuvent la sauvegarde, l’éducation et la récréation. A un niveau superficiel, les animaux sont construits par la langue comme des sujets qui apprécient leurs vies dans leurs habitats naturels avec leurs familles. Or, les analyses plus approfondies révèlent un abus de pouvoir dans lequel les animaux sont objectivés et transformés en un programme exclusivement humain. Ce travail conclut qu’en raison de naturalisation des discours,la dominance humaine sur les animaux sauvages n’est jamais remise en cause et les zoos donnent aux animaux une valeur instrumentale plutôt qu'une valeur inhérente.

Anahtar Kelimeler

zoos,discours de presse,la critique animaliste,spécisme,analyse critique du discours

Normalizing Human-Animal Power Relations Through Media: Zoo discourses in Turkey

Öz

Bu çalışma, medyadaki hayvanat bahçesi söylemlerini incelemektedir zira bu söylem, insan-hayvan arasındaki iktidar ilişkilerini araştırmak için uygun bir alan olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Çalışma, ulusal günlük haber söyleminde hayvanat bahçesi söylemleri üzerine bir eleştirel söylem analizi uygulamakta ve özellikle hayvanların, kelime seçimleri, dilbilgisel yapılar ile kapitalizm, misafirperverlik ve koruma gibi söylemsel stratejiler yoluyla nasıl resmedildiğine bakmaktadır. Bu stratejiler temelde hayvanat bahçesi kurumunun koruma, eğitim ve eğlenceyi görev edinen yardımsever imajının arkasında esir yabani hayvanların tahakkümünü, baskılarını ve acılarını gizlemek için kullanılır. Dil aracılığıyla hayvanlar, yüzeysel olarak, aileleriyle birlikte doğal ortamlarında hayatlarının tadını çıkaran özneler olarak inşa edilir. Ancak, detaylı analizler hayvanların, insanlar lehine konular etrafında nesnelleştirildiği ve metalaştırıldığı bir güç istismarı ortaya koymaktadır. Çalışma, söylemlerin doğallaştırıcı etkisiyle, yabani hayvanlar üzerindeki insan egemenliğinin hiçbir zaman sorgulanmadığı ve hayvanat bahçelerinin hayvanlara içkin bir değerden ziyade araçsal bir değer verdikleri sonucuna varmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

hayvanat bahçeleri,haber söylemi,eleştirel hayvan çalışmaları,türcülük,eleştirel söylem çözümlemesi

Normalizing Human-Animal Power Relations Through Media: Zoo discourses in Turkey

Abstract

This study examines zoo discourses on media as a convenient site for probing into human-animal power relations. A form of critical discourse analysis is carried out in national daily news discourse focusing on how zoo discourses portray animals through lexical choices, grammatical structures, and discursive strategies of capitalism, hospitality, and conservation. These strategies overall operate to conceal the domination, oppression, and suffering of captive wild animals behind the benevolent image of the zoo institution promoting conservation, education, and recreation. Through language, animals are constructed, on a superficial level, as subjects who enjoy their lives on natural habitats with their families. Yet further analysis reveals a power abuse in which animals are objectified and commodified for an exclusively human agenda. The study concludes that through the naturalizing effect of discourses human dominance over wild animals are never questioned and the zoos grant animals an instrumental value rather than inherent value.

Keywords

zoos,news discourses,critical animal studies,speciesism,critical discourse analysis

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

-

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Sezen Ergin Zengin ^*
0000-0001-5927-5357
Türkiye

Publication Date

December 28, 2019

Submission Date

June 21, 2019

Acceptance Date

October 9, 2019

Published in Issue

Year 1970 Number: 31

DOI

https://doi.org/10.16878/gsuilet.580339

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA93GL72CC

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Ergin Zengin, S. (2019). Normalizing Human-Animal Power Relations Through Media: Zoo discourses in Turkey. Galatasaray Üniversitesi İletişim Dergisi, 31, 9-33. https://doi.org/10.16878/gsuilet.580339

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