The Echoes Of The Reconsecration Of Hagia Sophia As A Mosque In The Conservative Media

This article aims to reveal the entanglement of domestic and foreign political dimensions in the interpretation of the recent conversion of Hagia Sophia Museum in İstanbul, Turkey, into mosque, through a thematic analysis of the coverage of the topic in two conservative media outlets -Yeni Şafak and Türkiye newspapers- between July 1 and September 15, 2020. The findings are grouped in five headings: how the reconsecration is defined, reflections on the causes of the conversion into museum in the Kemalist period, explanation of the causes of the recent decision of reconsecration, the significance of Hagia Sophia in the so-called war between Turkey and global power elites, and replies to the opposition. It is concluded that the foreign policy aims of pursuing an assertive stance vis-à-vis the Western world and forging a unity in the Islamic world under the leadership of Turkey, and the domestic policy aim of consolidating Justice and Development Party's power in the culturally and politically polarized atmosphere in Turkey are intertwined in the eyes of the conservative proponents of the government.