The representation of women on digital streaming platforms: An analysis of Turkish series on streaming platforms

This thesis aims to examine the transformation of female representations from the early periods of cinema to contemporary digital streaming platforms within the frameworks of gender studies, feminist ideology, and psychoanalytic theory. Historically shaped by patriarchal norms, the structure of gender has predominantly defined women through passive, complementary, and subordinate roles, thereby limiting their participation in public life. This dynamic has rendered the emergence and evolution of feminist theories inevitable. In this study, the conceptual tools of psychoanalytic feminism are employed to analyze how female identity is shaped and represented through unconscious processes. Cinema, in this context, has been considered a powerful medium for transmitting female imagery to society, while in the modern era, digital streaming platforms offer alternative narrative forms with the potential to transform these representations. In the application phase of the study, the globally influential Netflix and the locally prominent Exxen digital platforms were selected; two original Turkish series, "Hükümsüz" (2021) and "Kuş Uçuşu" (2022), which feature female characters in the lead roles on these platforms, were analyzed. Four different qualitative methods were used in the study: content analysis, semiotic analysis, critical discourse analysis and in-depth interviews. This multifaceted approach provided the opportunity to evaluate not only the representations at the narrative level, but also the perceptual effects on the audience. The findings indicate that passive, objectified portrayals of women—commonly seen in classical narrative structures—have increasingly been replaced in the digital age by representations of women as autonomous, multidimensional subjects who actively participate in social transformation. However, it was also observed that established imagery from traditional narratives continues to exert influence and is still frequently employed. In this context, the study reveals how female representations have evolved through digital media, while also aiming to contribute both theoretically and practically to the limited body of academic research on this subject, particularly within the Turkish context.