The representation of masculinity in arabesque films

This study focuses on the representation of masculinity within the context of the theory of precarious manhood, examining the parameters within the body and sociocultural practices. The research addresses the representation of masculinity by questioning the concept of precasrious manhood, starting from the assertion that societal gender roles are corrupted. In this context, the study aims to investigate how characters reflecting male culture have been presented through different images in arabesque films. For this purpose, films such as "Yarabbim," "Zulüm," "Küçüksün Yavrum," "Derbeder," "Boynu Bükük," "Yaktı Beni," "İsyankâr," "Kul Sevdası," and "İtirazım Var," which were selected from the period between 1978 and 1988, have been examined, and the male characters in these films have been analyzed in the context of the body and sociocultural practices that indicate precarious manhood and contribute to the crisis of masculinity. The study also explores how the societal, cultural, political, and economic changes that took place in Turkey from the 1950s to the 1980s influenced the representation of masculinity in arabesque films. Thus, the study aims to contribute to the fields of gender studies and cinema by discussing the similarities and differences between pre-1970 representations of masculinity in Turkish cinema and the representation of masculinity in arabesque films.