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Journals / Dumlupınar Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi / 2026 / Sayı: 89

The Negative Representation of Social Workers in Films and Television Series: Effects on Public Perception

Sinema ve Televizyon Dizilerinde Sosyal Hizmet Uzmanlarının Olumsuz Temsili: Eleştirel Bir Nitel Analiz

Pakize Özbay0009-0006-4909-5284
Yunus Düger(BİLECİK ŞEYH EDEBALİ ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0003-3077-6793
Pages
72–97
Publication Date
2026-04-30
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The findings indicate that social workers are frequently portrayed as professionally incompetent, neglectful, excessively interventionist, or as insensitive agents of a bureaucratic system.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Films and television series are among the primary cultural productions through which meanings related to social reality are produced and reconstructed.
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Key Findings & Data:In this context, the portrayal of professions in the media plays a significant role in shaping public perception.
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Conclusion & Impact:The findings indicate that social workers are frequently portrayed as professionally incompetent, neglectful, excessively interventionist, or as insensitive agents of a bureaucratic system.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Sosyal hizmet uzmanları · Medya temsilleri · Olumsuz temsil

Abstract

Films and television series are among the primary cultural productions through which meanings related to social reality are produced and reconstructed. In this context, the portrayal of professions in the media plays a significant role in shaping public perception. This study aims to critically analyze the negative representations of social workers in films and television productions. Within a qualitative research framework, films and television series frequently cited in the literature focusing on media representations of the social work profession were selected as the sample. The selected productions were subjected to thematic and descriptive analysis in order to identify the narrative patterns, character constructions, and ideological frameworks through which social workers are negatively constructed. The findings indicate that social workers are frequently portrayed as professionally incompetent, neglectful, excessively interventionist, or as insensitive agents of a bureaucratic system. These representations are found to be largely inconsistent with the ethical principles and professional boundaries of the profession. By systematically examining negative representation patterns of social workers in popular culture, this study aims to contribute to the existing body of literature on media representations of the social work profession.

Özet

Sinema ve televizyon dizileri, toplumsal gerçekliğe ilişkin anlamların üretildiği ve yeniden inşa edildiği başlıca kültürel yapımlar arasında yer almaktadır. Bu bağlamda, mesleklerin medyadaki sunumları kamusal algının şekillenmesinde önemli bir etkiye sahiptir. Bu çalışma, sinema ve televizyon yapımlarında sosyal hizmet uzmanlarının olumsuz temsillerini eleştirel bir perspektifle analiz etmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Nitel araştırma yöntemine dayanan çalışmada, sosyal hizmet mesleğinin medya temsillerine odaklanan literatürde sıkça atıfta bulunulan film ve diziler örneklem olarak seçilmiştir. Belirlenen yapımlar tematik ve betimsel analiz yöntemleri kullanılarak incelenmiş; sosyal hizmet uzmanlarının hangi anlatı kalıpları, karakter özellikleri ve ideolojik çerçeveler üzerinden olumsuz biçimde kurgulandığı ortaya çıkarılmıştır. Elde edilen bulgular, sosyal hizmet uzmanlarının çoğu zaman mesleki açıdan yetersiz, ihmalkâr, aşırı müdahaleci ya da bürokratik sistemin duyarsız bir temsilcisi olarak betimlendiğini göstermektedir. Bu sunumların, mesleğin etik ilkeleri ve profesyonel sınırlarıyla büyük ölçüde çeliştiği belirlenmiştir. Çalışma, popüler kültürde sosyal hizmet uzmanlarına yönelik olumsuz temsil biçimlerini ortaya koyarak ilgili literatüre katkı sağlamayı amaçlamaktadır.

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Cite This Article

Özbay, P., Düger, Y. (2026). The Negative Representation of Social Workers in Films and Television Series: Effects on Public Perception. Dumlupınar Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, Sayı: 89, 72–97. https://doi.org/10.51290/dpusbe.1814964

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