Content Analysis of Western Media Framing of Hagia Sophia Reconversion Decision

Abstract

The decision to change the status of Hagia Sophia from a museum to a mosque stirred up a massive controversy in the non-Islamic world, even to the extent as questioning the secular nature of the Turkish Republic. A Turkish court issued a ruling which ultimately led to the re conversion of Istanbul's Hagia Sophia, annulling a government ruling that dates back to 1934. This decision caused anxiety in the Western capitals, though it is important to explore how the media framed this entire story. This research investigates the portrayal of this decision in the Western media. The method of content analysis was used to analyze various new stories published on the websites of print and electronic media. The theoretical framework used is Framing Theory. The research concludes that western media framed this decision in an overwhelmingly negative light.