"Mesih Annelik": Sosyal Medyada İnşa Edilen Annelik Kimliğinin Söylem Analizi

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the construction of motherhood identity by women in Turkey using critical discursive psychology’s approach and its concepts such as interpretative repertoires and subject positions. For this, firstly, the messages that were shared on profiles of mothers who have become famous through their posts on social media hence called as “phenomena mothers” and of maternity groups on Facebook and Instagram as well as their followers’ comments were analyzed. Secondly, semi-structured interviews were conducted with five mothers with different socio-demografic characteristics. The analysis of the data consisting of social media posts revealed four interpretative repertoires; "individual motherhood", "maternity through equality between men and women", "sufficient sacrifice" and "inadequacy" were obtained. In terms of subject positions, the “phenomena mothers” was determined positioning themselves as "persons who can instruct, guide and act as role models". For the followers of these mothers on social media, the subject positions were determined as “persons who accept these characteristics described above and role model positions of “phenomena mothers”. The results of the analysis of the interviews revealed three interpretative repertoires, "unpredictable motherhood", "motherhood as maintaining equilibrium" and "motherhood as personal change". The identified subject positions were “the person who take great pains” and "the person becoming her ought self". The interpretative repertoires in construction of the motherhood identity used by participants who were interviewed compared to the interpretative repertoires used in the social media data were both similar on some aspects and different on others. However, the subject positions used in both contexts did not differ. The results were discussed in relation to feminism in Turkey, previous studies on motherhood, self-presentation on social media.