A semiotic analysis on the messages of animation films: The case of Kyrgyzstan

There is no doubt that the 21st century passed under the auspices of globalization. It is known that sometimes opposing views are expressed on globalization in social sciences. While some evaluate globalization positively, others point to its negative aspects more. Today, globalization is slowly infiltrating even the most distant parts of the world, affecting different countries. There are few countries that are not exposed to the effects of globalization. Symptoms of the globalization process include the hegemony of Western culture, science, and lifestyle; dissemination of communication tools incorporated into a central control system; international companies establish control over national financial and financial institutions; acceptance of the liberal democratic economic system as the dominant ideology in the world and other similar factors. In addition, as a result of the commodification of culture, the phenomenon of culture industry has emerged. The companies that control the mass media are spreading their own values through them. Media messages with similar content on the basis of the dominant ideology are intended to shape people's way of thinking. From art to cinema, all cultural products have been produced according to certain standards and brought homogenization with them. As a result of these manipulations, cultural homogenization occurs in different societies. It is known that the messages presented in animation films, which are a cultural tool, are written directly to the subconscious without being filtered by the child audience. Therefore, the ideological messages presented in animated films need to be analyzed. The main purpose of the doctoral thesis is to reveal which cultural codes are conveyed to child audiences in the context of globalization and which way of thinking and lifestyle are presented in animation films. The application part of this research consists of two parts. In the first part, Ferdinand, The Grinch, Coko, Next Gen, Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation, Ralph Breaks the Internet, (Ralph and Internet), Викрадена принцеса: Руслан і Людмила (Kidnapped Princess: Ruslan and Ludmila), İnceribles 2, Drôles des petites bêtes (Secret Life of Insects), Три богатыря и наследница престола (Three Heroes: Throne Heir) films which were published between 2017-2018 were selected as a sample. Then, the semiotic analysis of the films was made. The cadres that fit the purpose of the study were selected and analyzed according to the trilogy of denotation, connotation and myth in Barthes' model. After semiotic analysis, the categories are stated as follows: "power relations and the liberal system"; "presentation of capitalist values"; "technology, exclusiveness and surveillance"; "transhumanism and humanism"; "removal of the natural boundary between "good" and "evil""; "presentation of images related to religion"; "traditions and family values"; "presentation of death"; "presentation of violence", "gendered female characters"; "femininity and queer in male characters"; "legitimation of obscenity through images of sexuality"; "incompatible combinations"; "unethical behavior, alcohol use and other modern phenomena in the context of popular culture". In the second part of the application part, the research was based on phenomenological analysis and was carried out with in-depth interview technique. The interview was held with fifteen women who live in Bishkek, the capital city of Kyrgyzstan, and have children. The aim of the interview was to reach information about how conscious mothers are about animated films, whether they are aware of harmful content in some animated films whether they are aware of which mass media their children consume, and what topics an animated film suitable for children should contain. The answers obtained were subjected to the categorical analysis technique and gathered under a few main headings: "on the places where the animated films are watched the most"; "on the most popular hero"; "on the positively evaluated animated film"; "on the preferences of the children"; "on A-4 and other bloggers"; "on Masha and the Bear"; "on sexual messages and obscene scenes"; "on children's behavior"; "on monitoring methods"; "mothers on the importance of commenting"; "evaluation of films included in semiotic analysis"; "mothers comments on the effect of animated films"; "on the issue of mother tongue"; "on demand for Kyrgyz animated films and programs"; "on an ideal animated film"; "mothers suggestions". In the light of the results of the application section, the general conclusion has been completed.