Disinformation, discourse,and security: A poststructuralist approach in the case of Türkiye

This study examines the impact of disinformation disseminated through social media on Türkiye's internal security dynamics within the framework of a post-structuralist theoretical perspective. It proceeds from the premise that truth is not a fixed and immutable reality, but rather a construct continually produced and redefined through discourse. In this regard, Michel Foucault's discourse analysis and Jacques Derrida's deconstruction theory form the theoretical axis of the research, incorporating concepts such as regimes of truth, representation, and linguistic construction into the analytical process. The study investigates events in Türkiye's recent history that have profoundly shaped perceptions of internal security—namely, the Gezi Park protests, the 15 July coup attempt, the refugee crisis, and the Covid-19 pandemic. Each case is evaluated through examples of disinformation circulated on social media, focusing on how discourses are constructed, the social and political functions they serve, and the points of rupture they generate in state–society relations. The findings demonstrate that disinformation cannot be reduced to the mere dissemination of false information; rather, it constitutes a multi-layered arena of discursive struggle that directly influences state authority, the monopoly over knowledge, and security policies. In particular, disinformation produced and rapidly disseminated via social media generates alternative "truths" that challenge official state narratives, thereby deepening societal polarization. In conclusion, this research shows that disinformation, within the framework of modern security paradigms, is not a phenomenon that can be addressed solely through technical measures, but must instead be approached as a strategic issue encompassing discursive, political, and societal dimensions. Safeguarding internal security, therefore, requires strengthening not only the mechanisms that regulate the flow of information, but also the state's capacity for discourse production, the cultivation of a critical reading culture, and the reinforcement of societal resilience. By situating the phenomenon of disinformation at the intersection of communication studies and international relations, this study offers an original contribution to the literature.