Soft Power or Illusion of Hegemony: The Case of the Turkish Soap Opera Colonialism

Abstract

The article develops two simultaneous arguments; one is theoretical, and the other is analytic. The theoretical argument is based on an assessment of the utility of the concept of soft power in comparison to the Gramscian concept of hegemony in understanding the developments in the recent regional power games in the geographical area consisting of Eastern Europe and the near and Middle East. The analytic argument examines the popularity of Turkish soap operas, both among a cross-cultural audience and within the wider context of cultural, economic, and political influences, and in so doing, it points out challenges and limits for Turkey's regional power.