The ideological dimension of astrology: The role of astrological discourse in the media as the ideology production apparatus

This research examines the ideological meaning of astrology content and interpretations in the media through the concept of the ideological apparatus of the state developed by Althusser. The fundamental question guiding this study is whether astrology interpretations and discourse in the media are shaped with the aim of producing and reproducing ideology. In this context, the Three-Dimensional Dimension of Fairclough's Critical Discourse Analysis, a methodology developed based on Althusser's ideology and Gramsci's hegemony concepts, has been selected as the study's research method. In all civilizations throughout history, leaders have consulted astrology, which is known to be as old as human history, when making military and political decisions. With the development of media and the diversification of media content, astrology has ceased to be a guide used only in military and political fields and has begun to be consumed for entertainment purposes. This has not prevented the use of astrological interpretations as a political and military guide; on the contrary, it has given astrology an ideological meaning. This study examines how astrology can be shaped as a means of ideological production and reproduction and can be considered as one of the ideological state apparatuses. In order to reveal whether astrology is shaped to produce and reproduce ideology, the comments of astrologers who were guests on Haber Global television channel, which supports the dominant ideology, and Sözcü TV television channel, which is known for supporting the oppositional ideology, were analyzed. The headlines included in the analysis were selected from astrological commentaries on political, military, and economic headlines that frequently appear on the Turkish agenda, separated from daily horoscopes. Analyzed with the Three-Dimensional Dimension of Fairclough's Critical Discourse Analysis, these astrology commentaries aim to reveal how they are ideologically shaped as text, discourse, and sociocultural practice.