(Person) Percentage - Sabanci University Research Database

The Asian Media & Mass Communication Conference 2010 Osaka, Japan
“The concept of ‘marginality’... For instance, ‘environmentalists’ had been regarded as
marginal until 1960s... While targets like development, industrialization and employment
remained before the society, those who shouted ‘You are destroying the natural balance’ were
regarded as crackpots or marginal. Today, however, ‘environmentalism’ is an ascending
merit and an action adopted by majority...” (www.tumgazeteler.com, 18.08.2010).
“Environmentalism is a new concept in Turkey. Notwithstanding, it has a history of at least a
quarter century. Until now in Turkey, environmentalism has been expected to be a part of
urban culture. No such result has been attained. Our environmentalists could not put forth
sufficient work and activity to ensure the participation of the public community. As in this
example, they just raised their weak voices after it is too late. Therefore, ‘environmentalism’
was treated as a marginal business in Turkey. One of the actions that supports this image is
the ‘Advocacy over Papazın Bağı’! Are violations relating to protected natural and historical
sites in Turkey new? Are they limited to Papazın Bağı? Of course not... But our
environmentalist organizations and chambers of architects ignore what actually needs to be
seen and focus on some exceptional examples. (www.tumgazeteler.com, 15.04.2004, Vakit,
www.vakit.com.tr).
In another news, which parallels the stereotyping that environmentalists are idlers, attention is
drawn to environmentalists and the approach towards environmentalist organizations through
an experience of a theater artist. The news actor says he first got afraid when he was called by
the prominent environmentalist organization, Greenpeace, and suggests that the real problem
that caused such reaction is rooted in the way of perception about environmentalists.
Accordingly, the primary problem lying behind the perception of Greenpeace as a fearful
group is shown as the fact that “environmentalism is perceived as a thing sought by idlers.”
That is, in the discourse of the news actor, it is implied that there is a stereotypic and
established perception and representation relating to environmentalists. The concerned parts
in the news story:
“I got afraid when they said ‘Greenpeace calls you’!” (Heading, www.naturalhaber.com,
07.10.2009, a news published in the newspaper Zaman)
“The night hosted by Yılmaz Erdoğan took place under the organization of Greenpeace.
Yılmaz Erdoğan tells the story of hosting the movie and the event in a humoristic way: “15
days ago, I got afraid when they said ‘They are calling from Greenpeace’. I said ‘They have
certainly found about a wrongdoing of ours, so they will shut down our workshop’. I even
prepared myself for swinging from the Bosphorus Bridge!” Erdoğan thinks that the real
problem is in the perception of environmentalism as a matter dealt by idle people.” (Heading,
www.naturalhaber.com, 07.10.2009, a news published in the newspaper Zaman)
In an interview about nuclear energy, a retired ambassador’s assessments concerning antinuclear
environmentalist groups set an important example of perceptions about
environmentalists. It could be said that in the newspaper writing, certain stereotypes step in
via the discourse of the news actor. In this stereotypic representation, which was carried to the
heading of the interview, evaluations are made implying that within anti-nuclear
environmentalist groups, there exist agents of the petrol lobby which rules the world, and
extensions of those who want to hinder Turkey from being a first class state. It can be
concluded that, in essence, both assessments are based on a stereotype like “antagonism
against Turkey.” Moreover, the evaluation that although most of the anti-nuclear
environmentalist groups are good willed, they are not knowledgeable indicates a stereotypic
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