Investigation of political humor in the context of visual culture in the era of Süleyman Demirel

The master's thesis titled "Investigation of Political Humor in the Context of Visual Culture in the Era of Süleyman Demirel" focuses on Süleyman Demirel, one of the most influential, long-serving, and colorful figures in Turkish political history. The study examines Demirel's life, personality, political stance, rhetoric, and his openness to humorous criticism, as well as how he was portrayed -both positively and negatively- in various periodicals during his time in office. To provide a suitable foundation for the research, the thesis begins by discussing the origins, elements, types, and forms of humor. It also explores pre-Republican Anatolian humor, including Ancient Anatolian, Seljuk, Ottoman, Second Constitutional Era, and War of Independence humor. The main focus, however, is on how Demirel's multifaceted character was reflected in periodicals during different stages of his political career within the context of Republican Era humor. His varied public image and the way it was mirrored -both favorably and unfavorably- by different press stakeholders in Turkish political humor are revealed in the most detailed manner.