Humor and Courtesy in Turkish Politics

Humor, along with courtesy, is a punch. You never know where and when it will hit. The skill of injecting humor to lighten seriousness involves addressing a situation or event in an unexpected manner, thereby diminishing or removing its seriousness. This skill has become an integral part of political discourse and Turkish politics and politicians are not an exempt. Focusing on the case of Turkey, the project endeavors to delve into the challenges of confronting systemic oppression from within, utilizing humor as a dynamic tool. Humor, operating as an unstable weapon, is employed to manipulate language, concepts, and imagery, seamlessly integrating into the realm of political storytelling. Within this context, humor emerges as an instrument for delegitimizing opposing viewpoints, outlining negative attributes of others, and serving as a tool for scapegoating. The focus is on exploring the multifaceted capabilities of humor as a form of discursive strategy, sometimes in the form of courtesy, in Turkish political discourse through the tools of Critical Discourse Analysis and Discourse-Historical Approach,  in this intricate dynamic.