Research Article

Turkish Media History from the Perspective of Cyclical History: Ibn Khaldûn’s Ideas and Communication Studies

Volume: 16 Number: 30 June 30, 2025
TR EN

Turkish Media History from the Perspective of Cyclical History: Ibn Khaldûn’s Ideas and Communication Studies

Abstract

This article analyzes Turkish media history through the framework of Ibn Khaldûn’s cyclical theory of history, focusing on the recurrent oscillation between media liberalization and repression under shifting political regimes. The study addresses the central question: How has press freedom in Türkiye been shaped by cyclical dynamics of consent, control, and coercion in relation to political power? Using a historical-comparative and interpretive methodology, the research systematically investigates three critical periods—the Armistice era (1918–1923), the Democrat Party era (1950–1960), and the aftermath of the 1971 military memorandum. Both primary sources (such as period newspapers and legislative texts) and secondary sources (scholarly works) are analyzed thematically to identify the underlying mechanisms and recurring patterns in the expansion and contraction of press freedoms. The findings demonstrate that each political regime, regardless of ideology, initially tolerates or promotes pluralism in the media to generate public consent and strengthen legitimacy. As power becomes consolidated, mechanisms of control—including legal constraints, economic patronage, and administrative pressure—begin to restrict journalistic autonomy. In the face of growing dissent or perceived threats, regimes ultimately turn to overt coercion, such as censorship, legal prosecution, or direct violence against journalists. This cyclical pattern—consent production, control, and coercion—repeats throughout Turkish media history and is interpreted through the Khaldûnian lens of dynastic cycles. By proposing and applying the media cycle model, the article presents an original analytical framework that links historical theory with the political economy of communication, concluding that press freedom in Türkiye remains contingent and vulnerable, shaped by recurring cycles that continue in the digital era.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Media Studies, Journalism Studies

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

June 30, 2025

Submission Date

May 7, 2025

Acceptance Date

June 11, 2025

Published in Issue

Year 2025 Volume: 16 Number: 30

APA
Yılmaz, Ö. (2025). Turkish Media History from the Perspective of Cyclical History: Ibn Khaldûn’s Ideas and Communication Studies. Global Media Journal Turkish Edition, 16(30), 1-17. https://izlik.org/JA87WW79ZD
AMA
1.Yılmaz Ö. Turkish Media History from the Perspective of Cyclical History: Ibn Khaldûn’s Ideas and Communication Studies. Global Media Journal Turkish Edition. 2025;16(30):1-17. https://izlik.org/JA87WW79ZD
Chicago
Yılmaz, Özgür. 2025. “Turkish Media History from the Perspective of Cyclical History: Ibn Khaldûn’s Ideas and Communication Studies”. Global Media Journal Turkish Edition 16 (30): 1-17. https://izlik.org/JA87WW79ZD.
EndNote
Yılmaz Ö (June 1, 2025) Turkish Media History from the Perspective of Cyclical History: Ibn Khaldûn’s Ideas and Communication Studies. Global Media Journal Turkish Edition 16 30 1–17.
IEEE
[1]Ö. Yılmaz, “Turkish Media History from the Perspective of Cyclical History: Ibn Khaldûn’s Ideas and Communication Studies”, Global Media Journal Turkish Edition, vol. 16, no. 30, pp. 1–17, June 2025, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA87WW79ZD
ISNAD
Yılmaz, Özgür. “Turkish Media History from the Perspective of Cyclical History: Ibn Khaldûn’s Ideas and Communication Studies”. Global Media Journal Turkish Edition 16/30 (June 1, 2025): 1-17. https://izlik.org/JA87WW79ZD.
JAMA
1.Yılmaz Ö. Turkish Media History from the Perspective of Cyclical History: Ibn Khaldûn’s Ideas and Communication Studies. Global Media Journal Turkish Edition. 2025;16:1–17.
MLA
Yılmaz, Özgür. “Turkish Media History from the Perspective of Cyclical History: Ibn Khaldûn’s Ideas and Communication Studies”. Global Media Journal Turkish Edition, vol. 16, no. 30, June 2025, pp. 1-17, https://izlik.org/JA87WW79ZD.
Vancouver
1.Özgür Yılmaz. Turkish Media History from the Perspective of Cyclical History: Ibn Khaldûn’s Ideas and Communication Studies. Global Media Journal Turkish Edition [Internet]. 2025 Jun. 1;16(30):1-17. Available from: https://izlik.org/JA87WW79ZD