Comparative analysis of perception management activities of DAESH and PKK/KCK towards Turkey between 2015-2020

The concept of terrorism has a wide range of definitions on the axis of phenomena such as fear, ideology, strategy and the use of force. Terrorism and humanity's perception of terror have undergone various changes and transformations throughout history. The diversity of definitions in the concepts of terrorism and terrorism paved the way for terrorist organizations to operate on a global scale and it has become almost impossible to limit the sphere of influence of terrorism. Although the structures of terrorist organizations have adopted different ideologies, they are generally similar. In addition to the ideologies and structures of terrorist organizations in the historical process, the methods they use as motifs are also very similar. Terrorist organizations, which have activated their actions for various ideological and political reasons, carry out their perception management activities through propaganda. Turkey has been exposed to the threat of terrorism since its establishment. Due to its geopolitical and geostrategic location, it shapes its security policies by taking measures against the threat of terrorism, which continues to exist for different purposes in every period. With the perception management activities implemented by terrorist organizations, it is aimed to gather supporters and at the same time to legitimize themselves in the presence of the public. In this study, the concepts of terrorism, perception management and propaganda are discussed in detail and the historical background of terrorism is investigated. Throughout the study, the structure of terrorist organizations was examined and the propaganda activities of PKK/KCK and DEASH terrorist organizations in Turkey between 2015-2020 were explained. In this context, Turkey's counter-terrorism methods against the propaganda activities of terrorist organizations were examined. The aim of this study is to analyze and compare the perception management activities of PKK/KCK and DAESH terrorist organizations towards Turkey between the years 2015-2020. The importance of the study is to reveal the effects left on Turkey as a result of the use of perception management activities as well as the physical attacks of PKK/KCK and DEASH terrorist organizations and to reveal Turkey's struggle. As a result, a comparative evaluation of the propaganda activities carried out as a complement to terrorist acts will be made.