What is the impact of the Kurdish factor on securitization of the Turkish domestic politics and foreign affairs?

Abstract

This Master’s thesis looks at what is the impact of the Kurdish factor on securitization of the Turkish domestic politics and foreign affairs. This is done by combining the Copenhagen School theory and Paris School theory by blending the elements of the speech act with the practical discourse. The aim of this thesis is to look at both internal and external dimension of Turkey’s policy regarding the Kurdish issue and link it with the interview discourse. The methodology of this master’s thesis is discourse analysis by analyzing the media, the Hurriyet Daily News, the two political parties’ websites and political speeches as a primary source. As a supplementary source, interviews were conducted with two political parties, the AKP and the HDP as well as with the civil society to analyze the official discourse that emerged from the media and compare the analysis with the interview results. The main analysis is put on the securitization point and the events that followed the extensive securitization in the Turkish case. The concluding remarks will determine whether the public has accepted the official discourse and how this is reflected in the media as well as what emerged from the unofficial interviews.