Turkish tv series (diziler):
production, representations and reception in the Mediterranean
International colloquium
CNRS-LCP-S.E.R.I.E.S. / INALCO-CERLOM / Université Paris 8- JILC / IFEA
October 2014
The development and success of Turkish television series have been a phenomenon in the region of the Mediterranean since the end of the 1990s. New genres have appeared. Entertainment divisions of the Turkish channels have increased their budgets and purchased numerous new series. The quality of technical characteristics as well as acting performances have improved considerably. At the beginning, mostly soap operas, shot indoors, the Turkish series then began to go to location and construct elaborate outside decors. Limited originally to national audiences, the phenomen has now conquered a wider public in the region of the Mediterranean : Turkish series today are exported to the Middle East, North Africa, the Balkans and Central Asia, all eager to receive alternatives to American or European productions, having become too expensive, or to the telenovelas, often too foreign to local cultural references.
Two major observations have promoted this conference. First, research on Turkish series is too often the work of isolated scholars who would benefit from international exchange and coordination. In addition, television studies have neglected Turkish series and more attention must now be paid to these productions. In order to meet these needs, scholars are invited to study this multifaceted phenomenon, concentrating on three main angles: the socio-economic conditions of the production of Turkish television series, the representations and values of Turkish society conveyed through them and, finally, the reception of the series by both Turkish and foreign audiences. Hopefully, the conference will make it possible to confront different approaches in order to further the knowledge of these series as productions of popular culture, as works of fiction as well as commercial objects, as mirrors of society, even if sometimes deforming that society, as suggestions for changes, taking also into consideration market constraints and requirements and finally the issue of censorship.
Topic 1. The production of series subject to numerous constraints : audiences, markets, policies
The process of liberalisation of the media has created conditions which have led to the emergence of a huge number of competing generalist channels. It has therefore become necessary to increase content on a massive scale in order to fill their programming schedules.
- How are the series produced in Turkey (location, shooting, casting, the role of scriptwriters; etc.)?
- What is the relation between the production of Turkish tv series and advertising : How are audiences rated in Turkey and what is their influence on production conditions?
- What constraints (cultural, economic, political) weigh upon the production of series and how do they affect production conditions?
- How are Turkish series broadcast in foreign countries (quotas, language, time slots, etc.)?
Topic 2. The ‘imaginary’ inspired by Turkish series, representations, symbols and taboos:
The series often show Turkish society in a positive light. At the same time, they reflect and initiate conformist attitudes. This line of analysis should focus on these images giving spécial (but not exclusive) attention to the following elements :
- How is History, both Ottoman and recent, treated in Turkish series? For example, communications would be welcome on Muhteşem Yüzyıl or a comparison with the competing series produced by Samanyolu Channel or on the treatment of recent history (especially the 1970s).
- How are social and political taboos handled, for example minorities, homosexuality, domestic violence or corruption (consider series such as to Behzat Ç., Kayıp Şehir among others)?
- What is the role of comedy series with respect to government and Turkish society; the influence of theatre and of the absurd in comedy series (for example, Yalan Dünya, Avrupa Yakası, Leyla ile Mecnun, etc.)?
- How have US series been adapted into national versions (for example Umutsuz Ev Kadınları, the Turkish version of Desperate Housewives)? What is the influence of Turkish literature and cinema on the series or vice versa?
- On a wider scale, how have the city of Istanbul or the diversity of geocultural space in Turkey been represented?
Topic 3. Reception of the series in Turkish society and in their different regional environments:
The question of reception of Turkish series in foreign countries gives rise to several fantasies: from the « myth » of Yabancı Damat (The foreign son-in-law), a love story between a Turk and a Greek which is said to have improved Turkish-Greek relations, to the rumor according to which Arab women, fans of Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ in Gümüş, began suing for divorce because they wanted a respectful and caring husband like the hero of the series. Numerous legends deal with this, but few serious studies exist on these subjects. Possible angles include:
- What are the viewing practices of audiences in countries where these series are imported (frequence, genre, demographics, number of series watched compared to local productions, viewing conditions - alone or with family members, etc.)?
- What are the viewing practices of Turkish immigrants in Europe? Are they specifically targeted by certain series? Which series are watched the most in Europe?
- Have the Turkish series contributed to giving a better image of Turkey in its region? Have they contributed to relieving tensions between Turkey and its neighbours?
- Have the Turkish series contributed to changing mentalities in the conservative countries where they are broadcast? Do the themes dealt with and the manner in which they are handled correspond to the expectations of foreign publics?
Calendar
>> Deadline for proposals: 15 February 2014
Proposals (approximately 450 words) in French or English, with a brief bio-bibliography.
>> Responses will be sent to authors at the end of March 2014.
The chosen presentations must be submitted at the beginning of the conférence. Presenters are required to allot 3-4 minutes for the projection of video extracts, which must be translated either as subtitles or orally.
Venue: Paris (to be announced)
Languages: French and English
Contact and information: tvseries-turkey@sciencesconf.org
