Sakarya, 4392494: Translating Boys Love: Turkish Scanlation Groups as Networked Counterpublics

Abstract

This thesis explores the role of Turkish scanlation groups, particularly those engaged in localising Boys' Love (BL) media. BL media, originating from Japan and challenging traditional gender norms, has become a significant global influence in LGBTQ discourse. In Turkey, scanlation groups serve as platforms for queer youth, providing access to queer representation in a restrictive socio-political landscape. This study investigates how these groups function as networked publics, facilitating the empowerment of young queer individuals amidst authoritarian practices and societal constraints. Using a methodological approach grounded in virtual ethnography, the study examines the organisational and social dynamics of these groups. Ethnographic findings reveal that these communities, primarily operating on Discord servers, offer more than mere entertainment. They facilitate the exploration of diverse identities, foster transgressive perspectives, and provide social support, enabling marginalised individuals to navigate and challenge fixed, normative identity structures. The study underscores the latent political potential of scanlation groups, highlighting their function as counterpublics where marginalised voices can circulate and proliferate. It argues that by combining the transcendental capabilities of network technologies with the inherent transgressive potential of BL media, these networked publics provide fertile ground for liberatory social transformation. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of networked publics and their political capacities, diversifies internet and digital media research by focusing on a niche peripheral example, and calls for recognizing and leveraging these niche communities to create safer and more empowering spaces for marginalised youth, both online and offline.