Discursive Construction of Teacher Identity: A Critical Analysis of the National Education Academy in Türkiye

This study critically explores how teacher identity is discursively constructed in the policy framework of Türkiye’s newly established National Education Academy. To this end, the new Teaching Profession Law, the Regulation on the Presidency of the National Education Academy, and the National Education Academy Website have been analysed, employing the tools of Fairclough’s (2013) and van Dijk’s (1980) critical discourse analysis approaches. Findings reveal that teacher identity is shaped by a dual discourse. While a moral-cultural discourse portrays teachers as carriers of national values, cultural heritage, and moral responsibility, a managerial narrative emphasizes compliance, credentialism, and performance monitoring. This hybrid framing aligns with broader conservative-nationalist and neoliberal ideologies, presenting teachers as both cultural transmitters and state-managed professionals.