Twitter as a phantasmagorical space and simulatory flaneurs: The role of social media in space and idendity construction

This thesis aims to analyze the structure of Twitter that is one of the most effective channels in the production of political / ideological discourse of new media as an interactive, participatory media type, and the existential position / situation of the users, through the phenomena of space and identity. It explores the existential effect of social media, a practice of individualization and socialization, which is an ontologically natural, technically artificial extension of modern life, upon the modern individual; its transformation of the emotional, thinking, perception and behavior patterns in individual and social life; the paradigmatic change behind its undeniable role in the formation of a particular type of human and civilization very different from its precedents in history. For this purpose, the history of communication, which progresses towards the formation of social media, will be briefly and critically conveyed; after revealing its place in the modern era and paradigm, the conceptual and theoretical usage of the concepts (phantasmagoria, simulation and flaneur concepts) that are similar in terms of space and identity, their definitions, meaning areas and similarities with Twitter practice will be related. Finally, after identifying some political / ideological / parodic aspects of "language" (discourse) used in social media, the role of social media in space perception and identity construction will be evaluated.