Orientalism, Islamophobia, and the Concept of Otherization Through Civil Conflict, Digital Platform Netflix: The Example of the Messiah Series

Introduction

Orientalism was born with the curiosity of the West towards the East and its desire to analyze. Studies on the east were collected under the heading of orientalism, and those who carried out these studies were called orientalists. With Edward Said's reinterpretation of orientalism, the concept has become a critical expression. Let's first look at the brief history of orientalism and then the changing field of meaning.

Although the texts that the West produced about the East were before, orientalism in the official form in the West was the foundation of the 'Arabic, Greek, Hebrew and Syriac' chairs in the 'Paris, Oxford, Bologna, Avignon and Salamanca' universities of the Church Council, which was gathered in Vienna in 1312. It is accepted that it started with the decision (Said, 2006, p.59). The Orientalist era began with the publication of Thousand and One Nights in Europe between 1704-1717. Traveling to the East meant exploring / dreaming for European romantics. Similar issues were handled over and over again and reproduced. Throughout the 19th century, European consciousness kept repeating the “Eastern mirage”, that is, the similar other (Tutal, 2006, p. 81). The texts, pictures, actually all kinds of information produced by the West belonging to the East contributed to the formation of the orientalist discourse.

The historical background of the concept, which started to become more visible in the literature with the events of September 11, 2001, includes the traces of the anti-Islamism that was consciously constructed by the West. This opposition has been strengthened by the East-West distinction and has increased with the definition of Islam as the religion of the East. Many studies conducted with an orientalist perspective based on prejudice and interpretation, far from being scientific, include a view that categorizes the religion of Islam, identifies it with radicalism and ultimately positions it as an enemy. This production was carried out by Western writers, artists and philosophers. In the modern age, it has found its response in newspapers, magazines, television and virtual media; Thanks to technological tools, these narratives have been continued and Westerners have read Islam through these fictions. This deep-rooted history of Islamophobia is followed with interest in the literature, and the concept is the subject of many studies. However, the limitedness of the studies that deal with the concept from the perspective of the mass media, which has played an active role in shaping itself, especially since the 20th and 21st century, draws attention at first sight.

With the increase in the place and importance of technology and especially digitalization in our lives, many elements in our daily life practices have changed and interacted. Developments, especially in the field of publishing, constitute one of the most important developments of our age. Developments ranging from the invention of the printing press to newspapers, from newspapers to radio, from radio to television, from television to the Internet, and even from the internet to digital broadcasting, which is regarded as new media, have managed to influence society and cultures by being influenced by each other.

Individuals and societies that have gone through different periods have reached the opportunity to experience global innovations by being under the influence of technology that is increasing day by day, especially in the age we live in.

Under the heading of media, mass media and television, cinema and internet arguments are included, and as the ideological devices of states and political powers, they have the most intense effect on individuals, societies and cultures. Netflix, which has been presented to the masses in a new and untested content different from the traditional structure of the television medium, which has an undeniable effect in the field of broadcasting, especially in the field of broadcasting, is a new mass communication tool that has been mentioned, dragged the masses and reached the agenda. With its Internet-based network structure, Netflix was founded with a movie rental service in 1997, and today it has reached the most important rank in a global-scale broadcasting. Netlix television network can offer movies, TV series, documentaries, entertainment and derivatives intense content to the audiences it reaches, and it can influence the masses with its broadcasts. Netflix network notation that many structures, is met with great interest in Turkey and is also enjoying a high level of impression rate. However, it is possible to observe the eastern discourse of the west, marginalization and orientalism with the TV series Messiah broadcast on Netflix, a digital television platform operating on a global scale.