Redefining Security in the Middle East: Representation of Security as an Emancipatory Discourse in the Capernaum Film

Year 2020, , 193 - 217, 18.01.2021

Mehmet Işık Emrah Özdemir

https://doi.org/10.26650/CONNECTIST2020-0032

Abstract

The Middle East is considered as a marginalized geography and difficult to understand for Western countries due to an orientalist and postcolonial perspective. Today, Lebanon, which offers an important opportunity to understand the Middle East from the political, economic, sociological and security perspectives, is a country facing various problems such as poverty, economic and political instability, ethnic and sectarian conflicts, uncontrolled migration movements and gender inequalities. Capernaum is a significant and effective example in terms of reflecting different living conditions and security perceptions in the Lebanon. In this study, how the security is defined through the eyes of the people from the Lebanon and how the perception of threats is shaped by the security issues of Lebanon are examined through the compelling Capernaum (2018) film of Lebanese female director and screenwriter Nadine Labaki. In this respect, the qualitative thematic content analysis of the film is carried out and it is revealed how the economic, social and religious problems of the Lebanese individuals evaluated in the context of human security are reflected in the film. As a result of the analysis, Capernaum is an exemplary film in terms of addressing the security concerns of Lebanon with a human security and gender perspectives. However, the film cannot address the causes, historical and social origins of these problems adequately, so, this might cause disconnections in the imagination of the audience.

Keywords

Film, Lebanon, postcolonialism, human security, Capernaum

Supporting Institution

The authors declared that this study has received no financial support.

Orta Doğu’da Güvenliği Yeniden Tanımlanmak: Kefernahum Filminde Özgürleştirici Bir Söylem Olarak Güvenliğin Temsili

Abstract

Ötekileştirilmiş bir coğrafya olarak kabul edilen Orta Doğu’nun, Batı ülkeleri için oryantalist ve postkolonyal bir bakış açısıyla anlaşılması zordur. Bugün Orta Doğu’yu siyasi, ekonomik, sosyolojik ve güvenlik açılarından anlamak için önemli bir fırsat sunan Lübnan, yoksulluk, ekonomik ve politik istikrarsızlık etnik ve mezhep çatışmaları, kontrolsüz göç hareketleri ve cinsiyet eşitsizlikleri gibi çeşitli sorunlarla karşı karşıyadır. Kefernahum (2018), Lübnan’daki farklı yaşam koşullarını ve güvenlik algılarını yansıtmak açısından önemli ve etkili bir örnektir. Bu çalışmada, güvenliğin Lübnan halkının gözüyle nasıl tanımlandığı ve onların tehdit algılarının Lübnan’ın güvenlik meseleleri tarafından nasıl şekillendirildiği Lübnanlı kadın yönetmen ve senarist Nadine Labaki’nin ilgi uyandıran filmi Kefernahum (2018) üzerinden incelenmektedir. Bu bağlamda, filmin tematik içerik analizi yapılmakta ve Lübnanlı bireylerin ekonomik, sosyal ve dini sorunlarının filme nasıl yansıdığı insan güvenliği bağlamında ele alınmaktadır. Analiz sonucunda Kefernahum’un Lübnan’ın güvenlik endişelerini insani güvenlik ve toplumsal cinsiyet perspektifleriyle ele alma konusunda örnek bir film olduğu değerlendirilmektedir. Ancak, filmin bu endişelerin nedenlerini, tarihsel ve sosyal kökenlerini yeterince ele alamaması seyircinin tahayyülünde kopukluklara neden olabilir..

Keywords

Sinema, Lübnan, postolonyalizm, insani güvenlik, Kefernahum

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