REFLEKTIF Journal of Social Sciences

Sızan Bellek, Hatırlayan Yerel

Gülay Uğur Göksel — 2025-07-21

Bu görsel, Türkiye’de yerelliğin çoklu ve çatışmalı doğasına temas eder. Gece ile gündüz, köy ile şehir, doğu ile batı arasında uzanan alanlar, bu kompozisyonda sabit sınırlar olarak değil, birbirine yapıştırılmış, sızdıran yüzeyler olarak belirir. Görselin ikiye bölünmüş yapısı, biçimsel olduğu kadar düşünsel bir yarılmayı da açığa çıkarır: yerellik, parçalanmış, yeniden bir araya getirilmiş, tutkal izleri belli olan bir aralıktır.

Hayvanlar —horoz ve öküz— folklorik süslemeler değil; güç, çatışma ve direnç temsilleridir. Aralarındaki karşılaşma, ne açık bir kavga ne de uzlaşıdır; yerel olanın içinde barınan çelişkilerin görsel yansımasıdır. Alt bölgedeki Selçuklu geometrileri ise geçmişin tekrar tekrar kurulan yüzeyleri olarak çıkar karşımıza. Bu motifler, simetrik bir düzenden çok, yarım kalmışlık ve yeniden kullanım izleri taşır.

Karanlığın içinden süzülen figürler, hem kontrolün hem de belirsizliğin simgeleridir. Kadınlık, burada ailevi kapanmalar, bakım emeği ve bastırılmış belleğin taşıyıcısı olarak katmanlanır. Kadını yerelin tanımlanmasında tam ortaya koyar.

Bu sızıntılı yüzeyin yarattığı geçişken aralık, hem zamanın hem mekânın sabitlenemediği, anlamın kesintiye uğradığı bir eşiktir. Kolaj hissi, yerelliğin kendisini de bir tür montaj olarak düşündürür: tutarlı değil, çelişkili; örtüşen değil, çatışan katmanlardan oluşur. Görsel, yerelliği bir bütünlük değil, toplumsal cinsiyetle, hafızayla ve mekânsal yarılmalarla örülmüş bir çatlak olarak sunar.

Special Issue: Re-visiting ‘Localities’ in the Audio-Visual Field

Ayşegül Kesirli Unur — 2025-07-21

From Editor

Emre Erdoğan — 2025-07-21

The Duke (Michell, 2020): Local Framing, Global Networking

Ebru Çiğdem Thwaites Diken — 2025-07-21

The paper analyzes The Duke as a networked narrative that frames the story of the theft of the painting of The Duke of Wellington locally. It explains how the film represents the North and Northern Englishness, deconstructing the stereotype of the Northern through humour and satire. It also looks at how the North is used as a geographical and a cultural space in which the film articulates its artistic, philosophical, ethico-political problematique. That is, how can everyday life escapes the grip of systems? The paper discusses this question by relating it to Michelle De Certeau’s theory of tactics and strategy.

Identity status: Complicated! Netflix Türkiye, Glocalization and Advertising

Yeşim Kaptan — 2025-07-21

In this manuscript, I examine the localization strategies employed by Netflix with a particular focus on the case of Netflix Türkiye and its local advertising campaigns. Through a textual analysis of the paratexts associated with Netflix Türkiye, this study posits that the local advertising initiatives of Netflix effectively encapsulate the principles of glocalization, as they navigate the intersection of global, local, and national contexts. By implementing strategic adaptations in its advertising campaigns and commodifying local culture, Netflix Türkiye contributes to the reproduction of locality and the reinvention of the glocal identity of the paratexts and the Netflix brand. An analysis of the online advertisements produced by Netflix Türkiye yields significant insights into how a global corporation leverages glocalization to expand its market share and gain an economic advantage in the streaming service industry.

Global Flows and Local Voices in Zadie Smith’s White Teeth

Duygu Koroncu Özbilen — 2025-07-21

This article investigates how Doreen Massey’s concepts of A Global Sense of Place and Geographies of Power can be applied to Zadie Smith’s White Teeth to analyze the dynamic construction of locality in multicultural London. By depicting intersecting lives across ethnic, cultural, and generational divides, Smith’s novel presents London as a fluid and contested space shaped by global migration, history, and power flows. The study examines how the novel translates the city’s audiovisual textures—urban landscapes, voices, and cultural signifiers—into narrative form. Massey’s framework allows for a reading of White Teeth where locality is seen not as fixed or nostalgic but as a site of mobility, interaction, and conflict. This approach emphasizes how Smith’s portrayal of North London captures the complexities of globalization and redefines the literary representation of place.

Domestic Rivalries as Daytime Spectacle: An Analysis of In-Law Cooking Competitions

Öykü Teoman — 2025-07-21

Daytime television in Turkey has long been dominated by reality shows focused on intra-familial relations. A particular trend that stands out is the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law cooking competition shows. These formats with their domestic aesthetics, transform the typically private dynamics of family life into a televised spectacle. This article examines how two popular shows, Zuhal Topal’la Sofrada and Gelinim Mutfakta, frame the in-law relationship as a site of both domestic rivalry and power negotiation. Drawing on discourse analysis and Foucauldian theories of power, the study explores how these formats re-construct domestic power dynamics and reflect the broader neoconservative family policies of contemporary Turkey. By reframing the in-law dynamic as an entertainment format, they reinforce patriarchal narratives while simultaneously exposing the tensions and contradictions within them. The in-law cooking competitions highlight the way television can both reflect and transform traditional gender roles within the context of Turkish culture.

From Static to Moving Image; The Role of Generative AI in 2D Animation

Büşra Ekmen — 2025-07-21

The combination of art and technology opens up new horizons on how to use it in the animation production field based on generative artificial intelligence (GAI). Traditional transitional time and labor-supported animation production is accelerated with GAI-based distances and offers new creative possibilities. This effective, the role of GAI in two-dimensional (2D) animation production and how the animation process is shaped are discussed. Within the scope of the research, how the production phase of animations can be animated with GAI-based tools, traditional techniques used in animation art. Different technical methods offered by GAI-based platforms such as Runway, Kling AI and Minimax Hailuo AI are analyzed, and elements such as movement fluidity, ease of use, continuity and visual quality in transfer movements with GAI are evaluated. This research examines the contribution of GAI to the range of motion, its role in production speed and visual quality, and how GAI can lead the global motion industry.

Adapting Job Interviews: A Cross-Cultural Study of TV Dramas

Öykü Bozgeyik — 2025-07-21

This study conducts a comparative analysis of job-interview scenes from the South Korean series She Was Pretty (2015) and its adaptations in Turkiye (Seviyor Sevmiyor, 2016) and China (Pretty Li Hui Zhen, 2017), focusing on how visual elements such as mise-en-scène and shot-length-distributions reflect cultural differences and emotional proximities. By integrating qualitative textual analysis with quantitative shot-length analysis, this research examines the visual grammar of these adaptations through the lens of Multiple Proximities Theory. While mise-en-scène varies across adaptations, shot-length serves as a consistent visual tool for conveying emotional expressions, even when the distribution patterns differ. This interdisciplinary approach highlights the value of combining visual semiotics with statistical data to deepen our understanding of how cultural and aesthetic proximities are communicated in transnational television dramas.

Localized Marginalization: Migrant Spaces and Non-Places in Istanbul

Övgü Bozgeyik — 2025-07-21

Istanbul, as a metropolis, shapes migrant experiences through its fragmented urban landscape. While offering opportunities, its socio-spatial dynamics push migrants into precarious, transient, and exclusionary spaces. This article examines how local policies, economic conditions, and social narratives construct non-places, spaces of transition, alienation, and instability. Through an analysis of films and documentaries set in Istanbul, the study explores how the city produces and reinforces non-places for migrants through localized urban strategies and the tension between tradition and modernity. Situating these films within the discourse of localization and glocalization, the paper highlights how cities become both sites of exclusion and adaptation, where migrants negotiate between place and displacement. The paper explores how non-places in Istanbul, shape the experiences of migrants and strangers to the city. Furthermore, it argues that these non-places themselves take on a migrant quality, constantly shifting, mirroring the instability of those who inhabit or pass through them.

The Boundaries of Cleanliness: House Slippers as Symbolic Objects in Popular Culture

Esra Bici Nasır — 2025-07-21

This study examines the ways in which the concepts of dirt, cleanliness, and hygiene are constructed within cultural contexts, as well as how these concepts influence the organization of domestic spaces. The use of house slippers, which serves to keep the dirt of the outside world away from the private sphere of the home, establishes not only hygiene but also symbolic boundaries. The use of specific slippers for different areas such as bathrooms and balconies reflects the spatial segmentation within the home and the symbolic order of hygiene. Popular culture products emerge as valuable sources for analyzing these practices. Investigating the cultural meanings of house slippers—as designed objects produced through industrial methods—also offers potential insights for design culture. Gülse Birsel’s TV series Yalan Dünya and Jet Sosyete present house slippers as cultural signifiers, humorously opening up discussions around social class distinctions and differing perceptions of hygiene.

Preserving Locality Through Architectural Transformation: Adaptive Reuse Approaches in Bilecik

Gizem Büke Öztürk — 2025-07-21

In the context of globalization, urban identities are increasingly undergoing transformation, making the preservation of local values a critical issue within the fields of architecture and interior architecture. Locality is not limited to physical attachment to a place; rather, it is a dynamic structure shaped by historical, cultural, and social layers. This study analyzes the concept of locality through the adaptive reuse processes of three historic buildings in the city of Bilecik: the Bilecik Municipality Building, the Bilecik Museum, and the Bilecik Directorate of Culture and Tourism. Adopting a qualitative research method, the study employs literature review, visual documentation analysis, spatial evaluation, and comparative assessment. The findings reveal that these structures contribute to urban identity by preserving not only their physical form but also their historical and symbolic meanings. Adaptive reuse practices have demonstrated that interior architectural interventions can support spatial continuity while enabling cultural sustainability through the protection of local memory.

The Transfer of Traumatic Experiences in Artists’ Works and Their Contributions to Social Memory

Müzeyyen Yeşim Yorulmaz — 2025-07-21

Throughout history, societies have been exposed to various traumas. These traumas have been shaped by numerous factors, including wars, natural disasters, pandemics, economic crises, genocides, and political events, leaving lasting impacts on both individual and collective levels. However, studies on the artistic representation of these traumas remain limited, and there is a general lack of in-depth analysis regarding the role of social traumas in art. This study aims to examine how artists reflect social traumas in their works, the contributions of these works to collective memory, and their impact on viewers.

The study investigates how artists convey traumatic events and processes through art, focusing on the techniques and forms of expression they employ. As a data collection method, historical artworks and biographical analyses of artists have been utilized. The artworks were analyzed using content analysis, revealing how artists confront social traumas and communicate this confrontation to their audience. Artists do not merely depict traumas as personal experiences but also engage with them as a means of fostering social responsibility and awareness.

An Intersectional Analysis of the Migration Experiences of Iranians in Ankara

Saeid Mozafari — 2025-07-21

Migration and refugee issues have impacted many countries, with Turkey being among the most affected due to its Middle Eastern geopolitical position. This study examines the experiences of Iranian refugees in Ankara, shaped at the intersection of their diverse identity affiliations. In this context, it focuses on how the refugee experiences of Iranians residing in Ankara are shaped by their ethnic, gender, class, refugee, and foreign identities. Accordingly, in-depth face-to-face interviews were conducted with a total of 10 Iranian refugees—five men and five women—who migrated to Turkey after 2009 and who ethnically identify as Azeri-Turk, Kurdish, or Persian. The study reveals that Iranian refugees in Ankara experience multidimensional exclusion, particularly due to their foreign and refugee identities, as well as their ethnic, gender, and class identities, which intersect to further marginalize them. In response to these overlapping discrimination processes, Iranian refugees adopt strategies such as ‘identity concealment’ as a means of coping.

Theological Authority, Critical Reason, and The Epistemological Disintegration of Belief Systems

Ayhan Aksakallı — 2025-07-21

This study examines the transformation of theological authority in an era shaped by epistemological skepticism, capitalist structures, and digital technologies. While traditional metaphysical frameworks once positioned God as the foundation of knowledge and morality, modernity has fractured this certainty, leading to competing structures of belief. The decline of divine authority has not eradicated the need for transcendence, but has instead redirected it into economic ideologies, algorithmic governance, and digital utopias. Capitalism now dictates human behavior with quasi-theological force, while artificial intelligence and transhumanism offer new visions of omniscience and immortality. This study argues that secularization has not resulted in the disappearance of belief but in its reconfiguration. As theological structures dissolve, they are continuously reinvented, raising the fundamental question: Has metaphysics truly ended, or has it simply been displaced into new ideological and technological domains?

An Alternative to Indispensable University Rankings: Responsible Ranking

Güleda Doğan — 2025-07-21

This study evaluates the compliance of international university rankings with responsible ranking principles. Fourteen global university rankings were analyzed based on the most recent data available as of September 2024, using the CWTS, Berlin, and INORMS principles. The findings indicate that the CWTS Leiden ranking and the now inaccessible U-Multirank ranking demonstrate the highest adherence to responsible ranking principles, whereas popular rankings such as QS, THE, and ARWU exhibit low performance in terms of transparency, governance, and methodological robustness. The results of this study clearly show a lack of alignment with current practices in Turkey. Decision-makers need to adopt a more informed approach to using university rankings, and this study provides a guiding framework for the responsible development and application of these rankings.

A Bibliographic Analysis of Türkiye Origin Journals Indexed in Web of Science in the Basic Field of Architecture, Planning and Design

Merve Karaoğlu Can — 2025-07-21

Research-development-publication-publishing activities, which are directly proportional to the level of development of a country, are considered an indicator of internationalisation and academic quality. Today, citation index databases, which have become a means of measuring the quality of scientific publications, have an important place for academic appointment-promotion evaluations in higher education institutions. This study, which aims to guide researchers planning to publish in journals indexed in these databases, focuses on Türkiye origin journals related to the Basic Field of Architecture, Planning, and Design indexed in Web of Science, which is perceived as the most prestigious citation index due to its high scores in associate professorship applications in Türkiye. Drawing upon bibliometric data, this research offers insights into the research themes; and publication patterns of four journals METU JFA, Megaron, Planlama and ICONARP.

Tracing Populism in Right Parties in Turkey

Ertuğrul Meşe — 2025-07-21

We can define populism as the discursive style of an anti-elite ideological position that claims to put the people at the centre. Although it has right and left versions, it can be said that historically right-wing ideologies have a closer commonality with populism. Since the Turkish right has been quite decisive in the historical development of populism in Turkey, it is very important to analyse the journey of populism in Turkey through right-wing parties. Although the principle of ‘populism’, one of the Six Principle of the CHP, calls for populism, this principle cannot be characterised as populism due to the aims of this principle and the specific conditions of the period. The DP, who came to power in 1950, left a populist legacy to the right-wing parties that came after him, which were taken over by parties and their leaders such as AP, MSP/MNP/RP, MHP and ANAP, claiming to be the representatives of the nationalist, conservative and Islamist segments of the Turkish right. Since the right-wing parties in Turkey, claiming to act on behalf of the nation, have brought the effects of the religious, national, economic and cultural concerns of the people into the political arena with a populist style, tracing populism in these parties between 1950 and 2000 and revealing the forms of its use is very important in terms of showing political continuities.

Türkiye’s Multi-Identity Approach to the Palestinian Question (1980-2011)

Ozan Kuyumcuoğlu — 2025-07-21

This study analyzes Türkiye’s multi-identity foreign policy through its approach to the Palestinian question. Türkiye’s Palestinian policy is shaped by its Western, National, Islamic, and Post-Imperial identities, produced by historical and social accumulation. The interplay of internal and external political dynamics has brought different identities to the fore in various periods. At certain times, Türkiye’s Palestinian policy was shaped by multiple identities. This study focuses on 1980-2011 when many domestic and international ruptures occurred. These deep ruptures are one of the main factors behind the frequent changes in Türkiye’s identity. Ankara’s fluctuating policy towards Palestinian question can also be considered in this context.

A Discourse Analysis of Stray Dogs Posts in an Online Community

Engin Anıl Yolcu — 2025-07-21

This study examines the discursive construction and contestation of stray dogs as a security threat within a closed Facebook community comprising Middle East Technical University (METU) students, alumni, and personnel. Utilizing Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and Computer-Mediated Discourse Analysis (CMDA), it explores how stray dogs are represented, how security measures against them are justified, and how pro-stray individuals are discursively constructed. The findings reveal the centrality of anthropomorphism, appeals to nature, and narratives in securitizing stray dogs and delegitimizing their defenders. Additionally, anti-stray discourse often invokes anthropocentric empathy hierarchies and developmentalist rhetoric, portraying stray dogs as existential threats to urban safety. The study also highlights the use of irony, memes, and parodic resonance as “semiotic weapons” to ridicule pro-stray advocates. By addressing the grassroots dimensions of stray dog securitization in Turkey, this paper contributes to critical animal studies, urban sociology, and discourse analysis, bridging gaps in the existing literature.

Structural, Professional and Systematic Problems and Solution Suggestions in Social Work Practices in Türkiye

Nurhayat Çalışkan Akçetin — 2025-07-21

Social work is an applied profession and academic discipline that aims to meet the needs of individuals, groups and society within the framework of human rights and social justice principles. Social workers, who work with the aim of meeting the basic needs of disadvantaged groups, improving their living standards and contributing to their reintegration into society, face various structural, professional and systemic problems while practicing their profession. These problems include factors such as excessive workload, bureaucratic obstacles, insufficient resources, lack of strengthening professional identity and lack of supervision. Measures such as increasing the number of social workers, promoting digitalization, clarifying professional boundaries and expanding in-service trainings stand out as solutions. This study aims to provide contributions to increase the effectiveness of the social work profession and to achieve a more sustainable structure. Strengthening the profession will not only improve the working conditions of social workers, but also contribute positively to the general welfare of society.

Organizational Resilience in the Era of Multiple Crises:AI-Based Model Recommendation

Begüm Al — 2025-07-21

This study proposes an AI-based model to address organizational resilience in the context of external crisis factors. While the existing literature predominantly focuses on internal processes, the impact of external factors remains underexplored. By integrating technologies such as big data analytics, machine learning, and natural language processing, the proposed model enhances organizations' ability to respond swiftly to external crises and build sustainable resilience. This research addresses theoretical gaps and offers a practical framework for advancing crisis management practices through AI-based solutions.

Silent and Hidden: Online Surveillance in the “Cookieless World”

Murat Uluk — 2025-07-21

The concept of a “cookieless world” refers to emerging methods designed to replace cookies, a traditional tool in online surveillance processes. Over the past two decades, cookies have become a cornerstone technology for online tracking and surveillance, enabling significant profits for major technology companies and the advertising industry. However, privacy concerns surrounding the use of cookies have led to their increasing restriction by browsers and stringent regulation through legal frameworks. In response, the industry has sought alternatives by developing new products and adopting advanced surveillance tactics. This study explores the concept of a cookieless world, next-generation surveillance methods, and their implications for privacy. Although the existing literature includes only a limited number of studies on internet cookies, there is no scholarly work specifically addressing the cookieless world. The findings of this study reveal that cookieless surveillance technologies are less visible, more challenging to detect, and harder to block compared to traditional methods.

The Role of Human Resource Management in Developing Organizational Resilience against Crises

Nermin Kişi — 2025-07-21

The aim of this study is to systematically examine the role of Human Resource Management (HRM) in enhancing organizational resilience against crises. In this context, research obtained from the Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus databases was analyzed to explore how HRM practices contribute to building organizational resilience. The study addresses the impact of key HRM functions, such as staffing, training and development, performance management, compensation management, occupational health and safety, on crisis management. The findings demonstrate that HRM practices enhance the speed of adaptation to crises, thereby supporting organizational performance and long-term success. Moreover, it emphasizes that HRM plays a critical role as a strategic tool in building organizational resilience. Consequently, it is revealed that the implementation of HRM strategies through a holistic approach is essential for ensuring effective resilience in organizational crises

Thinking about the Employment of Disabled People in the Media: A Field Research in Adana

Çiğdem Yasemin Özkan Berksun — 2025-07-21

There is a major employment crisis both in the world and in Turkey, and how the employment of vulnerable groups such as disabled people is considered within this crisis is an important issue that is often not prioritised. This study examines how ideas about disability employment are shaped in the media sector, where the general employment crisis is deepening, in a micro-universe in Adana. In this qualitative study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 31 people from 19 media organisations, and the data obtained from the field were analysed under the headings of employment contraction, jobs for disabled people, and the relationship between employment and representation using the method of thematic analysis. In the light of the research findings, it can be said that the employment of disabled people in the media is viewed with prejudices; some myths about working in the media, such as speed and robustness, cannot be reconciled with disability; the decline in employment and the change in professional practices due to technology cannot bring about a change in established beliefs about the employment of disabled people.

An Assessment of Metaverse and NFT Taxation

Yücel Ergün — 2025-07-21

In the technology space, the most important topics discussed are related to the emergence of new digital assets such as the metaverse, NFTs, and artificial intelligence. In addition to the digital transformation of various corporate operations and systems and innovative approaches to asset creation, it is also important to address the economic and tax implications associated with these assets. The current uncertainty surrounding this rapidly developing technology is especially concerning considering its potential and momentum. Originally derived from online video games that prioritized user interaction, both the metaverse and NFTs now enable users to generate income and build wealth entirely in this digital environment. The comparison between NFTs and the metaverse serves to highlight the opportunity to develop a new field of decentralized solutions. However, the distinctions and commonalities between these two concepts are not sufficiently defined. A comprehensive understanding is crucial to establishing a solid foundation for NFTs and the metaverse. This study explores the definitions, characteristics, and differences between the metaverse and NFTs, while also providing recommendations regarding their tax implications based on implementations in various countries.

‘‘I used to ask questions to the old Rector, I haven’t even seen the new one’’: Students’ campus experiences in relation to university administration, the METU case

Egesu Sayar-Aydeniz — 2025-07-21

Universities as established institutions that students interact with in the early years of their accepted citizenship play a central role in students’ experiences in democratic participation, political activism, and observing institutional responsiveness. University students’ interaction with the university administration, more specifically with the rector are essential in terms of students’ freedom of spaces at campus and their embrace of the university name and culture due to rector’s role in representing the university body and in establishing contact and communication between inside and outside the university. This study scrutinizes how students assess their campus experiences regarding their academic, social and political engagements at campus in relation to the university administration, and what differs for them under the administration of a non-elected ‘‘trustee rector’’ (kayyum rektör) compared to an elected one in the Turkish context. The Middle East Technical University (METU) example sets a typical case of the changing rector appointments in Türkiye, allowing to observe the impact of this change on students’ campus experiences in years between 2012 and 2020.

Samim Akgönül (2024) One Hundred Years of Greek-Turkish Relations: The Human Dimension of an Ongoing Conflict

Cihan Dizdaroğlu — 2025-07-21

Yılmaz, İ. (2023) Ottoman Passports: Security and Geographic Mobility, 1876-1908

Lütfiye Çetin — 2025-07-21