Nükleer Enerji Muhalefetinde Söylem ve İdeoloji: Türkiye'deki Nükleer Karşıtı Platformun Söylem Analizi

The aim of this study is to examine the linguistic, ideological, and social elements through which anti-nuclear energy discourse is constructed in Türkiye. The research focuses on the discourse of the Nuclear Opposition Platform (NOP), one of the most visible actors of the anti-nuclear movement in Türkiye, and aims to analyze how this discourse is produced, legitimized, and circulated in the public sphere. In this context, the study adopts a qualitative research approach based on discourse analysis. The theoretical framework of the research draws particularly on Michel Foucault’s perspective on the relationship between discourse, power, and knowledge. Within this framework, discourse is considered not only as a linguistic field of expression but also as a domain where social realities, power relations, and ideological positions are produced and reproduced. The dataset of the study consists of press releases, campaign texts, declarations, online content, and various documents reflecting the views of the Nuclear Opposition Platform published between 2010 and 2024. In addition, relevant news content and academic studies were also utilized in order to evaluate the public and media reflections of the discourse. The data obtained in the research were examined through content analysis and thematic coding techniques. The analytical process was structured around four main categories: metaphors, narratives, linguistic structures, and framing. The findings of the research reveal that NOP’s discourse defines nuclear energy not merely as a technical form of energy production but as an issue associated with environmental destruction, public health threats, political legitimacy problems, and economic dependency. In particular, references to nuclear disasters such as Chornobyl and Fukushima are used as important discursive tools that reinforce risk perception and sustain collective memory. Furthermore, themes such as fear, risk, threat, struggle, resistance, and solidarity stand out prominently in anti-nuclear discourse. Through the use of metaphors, oppositional narratives, and emotionally charged expressions, a collective language of opposition is constructed. Within this discourse, the government, international capital, and nuclear lobbies are often positioned as opposing actors, while the public, environmental activists, independent experts, and local communities are presented as legitimate representatives of resistance. The study demonstrates that debates on nuclear energy in Türkiye cannot be explained solely through technical and economic considerations. Rather, these debates should also be understood as part of broader ideological, political, and discursive struggles. In this respect, the research contributes to the literature on energy policies, environmental movements, and social opposition by providing a discourse analysis perspective.