The Impact of Television: Assessing the Erosion of Kurdish Cultural Identity in the Era of Cross-Border Media (A Field Study in Ranya City)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of dubbed Turkish television serials on the cultural identity of the Kurdish population, specifically within Ranya city. Utilizing a descriptive-analytical method, the study employed a researcher-made questionnaire distributed to a sample of 384 individuals selected via multi-stage cluster sampling. The theoretical framework is grounded in the works of Stuart Hall regarding cultural identity, Anthony Giddens’ views on modernity, and George Gerbner’s Cultivation Theory. The findings reveal a significant relationship between the frequency of watching these series and a decline in the implementation of traditional customs, participation in religious rituals, and engagement in indigenous leisure activities. The statistical analysis demonstrates that heavy viewers of foreign dramas are more likely to adopt foreign lifestyles and values. The study concludes that television plays a pivotal role in reshaping and eroding the cultural identity of the Kurdish community in the era of globalization. The problem with this study stems from a sense of danger of “identity erosion”. Excessive viewing of dubbed dramas has caused a large number of young people and families in Ranya to experience a kind of cultural alienation. The main question of the research is: Is there a relationship between the intensity of watching foreign dramas on television and the weakening of social and religious values ​​among individuals in Ranya? The researcher observed that clothing styles, language of conversation, and family rituals have changed which are directly linked to the images broadcast on screens.