THE PERCEPTION OF TÜRKİYE AND TURKS CREATED BY TURKISH TV SERIES AMONG VIEWERS: A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS OF IRAQI VIEWERS

This study aims to examine the social and cultural effects of Turkish television series on Iraqi viewers in the context of Türkiye and Turkish perceptions. In today's world, where communication technologies are rapidly changing and developing, it is evident that television series have a significant impact on viewers' perceptions. Türkiye has been making its cultural impact felt globally in recent years, particularly in the Middle East and the Balkans, through its TV series. In this context, the study analyzed the impact of Turkish TV series on individuals through in-depth interviews with Iraqi nationals living in Türkiye using a qualitative method. Data obtained from semi-structured interviews with twenty participants were evaluated using descriptive analysis methods. The research findings reveal that Turkish TV series create a positive perception of Türkiye and Turkish culture among viewers, encourage language learning, and foster social and emotional closeness to Türkiye. Furthermore, despite the dilemma created by the secular lifestyle in Türkiye as a Muslim country, it was concluded that Türkiye is seen as a modern country that can be taken as an example. This study aims to contribute to the field of audience studies by conducting an in-depth examination of the perceptions of Türkiye and Turks among Iraqi viewers of Turkish TV series. It focuses on questions such as what content shapes these perceptions, how they are internalized, and what kinds of effects they have at the individual and societal levels.