The presentation of secularism and conservatism: A reception analysis of the Cranberry Sherbet series

In recent years, representations of conservatism and secularism have frequently appeared in domestic television series. In this context, how viewers interpret or receive these representations has become a significant subject of research. This study aims to examine how the Turkish TV series Kızılcık Şerbeti is interpreted/received by viewers who identify themselves as either conservative or secular. Firstly, the social and cultural functions of television are addressed, followed by comprehensive definitions of the concepts of conservatism and secularism, along with a discussion on what these concepts signify in the context of Turkey. The theoretical framework of the thesis is based on the tradition of British cultural studies and Stuart Hall's Encoding/Decoding theory, detailing the dominant, negotiated, and oppositional reading positions. In the empirical part of the study, in-depth interviews were conducted with individuals who watch Kızılcık Şerbeti and identify themselves as either conservative or secular. Notably, existing studies on Kızılcık Şerbeti do not offer an analysis based on in-depth interviews that explore how individuals from different lifestyles interpret the series. In this respect, the present study distinguishes itself from previous research by focusing on interviews with viewers who identify as conservative and secular.