Analysis of Environmental Documentaries on Netflix in terms of Environmental Discourses

Mertcan Mutlu

Article Details

Analysis of Environmental Documentaries on Netflix in terms of Environmental Discourses

Authors:

Mertcan Mutlu

Publisher:

Erciyes University

Main Topics:

İletişim Çalışmaları

Journal:

Erciyes İletişim Dergisi Issue Special Issue of the 1st Environment and Communication: Climate Change and Sustainability Symposium, pp.45-68

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

4/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001329873

pISSN:

1308-3198

Keywords:

Abstract:

 The purpose of this study is to analyze the environmental discourses in environment-themed documentaries available on the Netflix platform. In this article, seven documentaries were examined through discourse analysis, and the discourses present in these documentaries were identified. According to the analysis, three main discourses were found: the Ecosystem Discourse, the Arcadian Discourse and Environmental Justice Discourse. In Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret, it is emphasized that organizations claiming to protect nature disregard scientific data. Kiss the Ground focuses on human-induced environmental degradation and efforts to address environmental issues. Breaking Boundaries: The Science of Our Planet indicates that humanity has already exceeded the critical thresholds for sustaining life on Earth. In David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet, attention is drawn to the fact that the planet can exist independently of humans. The Bubble: A Reef Revived underlines the perfection of the worlds micro-level systems. Brave Blue World illustrates the global water crisis and explains how its effects differ based on socio-economic statuses. Lastly, Youth v Gov focuses on the varying impacts of the global climate crisis across different regions.

 The purpose of this study is to analyze the environmental discourses in environment-themed documentaries available on the Netflix platform. In this article, seven documentaries were examined through discourse analysis, and the discourses present in these documentaries were identified. According to the analysis, three main discourses were found: the Ecosystem Discourse, the Arcadian Discourse and Environmental Justice Discourse. In Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret, it is emphasized that organizations claiming to protect nature disregard scientific data. Kiss the Ground focuses on human-induced environmental degradation and efforts to address environmental issues. Breaking Boundaries: The Science of Our Planet indicates that humanity has already exceeded the critical thresholds for sustaining life on Earth. In David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet, attention is drawn to the fact that the planet can exist independently of humans. The Bubble: A Reef Revived underlines the perfection of the worlds micro-level systems. Brave Blue World illustrates the global water crisis and explains how its effects differ based on socio-economic statuses. Lastly, Youth v Gov focuses on the varying impacts of the global climate crisis across different regions.

 The purpose of this study is to analyze the environmental discourses in environment-themed documentaries available on the Netflix platform. In this article, seven documentaries were examined through discourse analysis, and the discourses present in these documentaries were identified. According to the analysis, three main discourses were found: the Ecosystem Discourse, the Arcadian Discourse and Environmental Justice Discourse. In Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret, it is emphasized that organizations claiming to protect nature disregard scientific data. Kiss the Ground focuses on human-induced environmental degradation and efforts to address environmental issues. Breaking Boundaries: The Science of Our Planet indicates that humanity has already exceeded the critical thresholds for sustaining life on Earth. In David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet, attention is drawn to the fact that the planet can exist independently of humans. The Bubble: A Reef Revived underlines the perfection of the worlds micro-level systems. Brave Blue World illustrates the global water crisis and explains how its effects differ based on socio-economic statuses. Lastly, Youth v Gov focuses on the varying impacts of the global climate crisis across different regions.

 Bu makalenin amacı, Netflix platformunda yer alan çevre temalı belgesellerin çevre söylemleri açısından incelenmesidir. Bu makalede, söylem analizi yöntemiyle yedi adet belgesel incelenmiş ve bu belgesellerdeki söylemler ortaya çıkarılmıştır. Bu analize göre belgesellerde insanın doğayla olan mücadelesinin doğaya ve insana zarar verdiğini anlatan Ekosistem söylemi, insanın doğaya karşı mücadelesini kötüleyen ve doğayı yücelten Arkadyan söylem ve çevre sorunlarının yaşattığı olumsuz etkilerin sosyo-ekonomik statülere göre değiştiğini vurgulayan Çevresel Adalet söylemine göre sunumlar tespit edilmiştir. Cowspiracy: Sürdürülebilirliğin Sırrı belgeselinde bilimsel verilerden yola çıkarak doğayı koruduğunu iddia eden kuruluşların bu verileri önemsemediği vurgulanmıştır. Kiss the Groundda insanın çevreyi bozması ve çevre sorunlarına çözüm bulması üzerinde durulmuştur. Gezegenimizin Kritik Eşiklerinde dünyamızın aşılmaması gereken eşiklerini çoktan aştığımız belirtilmiştir. David Attenborough: Gezegenimizden Bir Yaşamda dünyanın insandan bağımsız şekilde varlığını sürdürebildiği gerçeği üzerinde durulmuştur. Baloncuk: Resifin Mucizelerinde dünyanın mikro düzeyde mükemmel bir sistem olduğuna değinilmiştir. Cesur Mavi Dünyada su sorununun küresel olarak gösterilmesine karşın aslında sosyo-ekonomik statülere göre nasıl değiştiği açıklanmıştır. Son belgesel olan Gençlerin İklim Davasında küresel iklim krizinin farklı bölgeleri etkilemesi üzerinde durulmuştur. Sonuç olarak bu makalede ele aldığımız belgeseller, çevre söylemi konusunda farklı perspektiflere odaklanmakta, çevre sorunları ve bu sorunlara getirilen çözüm yollarını değişik açılardan görmekte ve bunlara yönelik söylemler üretmektedir.

Article Details

Analysis of Environmental Documentaries on Netflix in terms of Environmental Discourses

Authors:

Mertcan Mutlu

Publisher:

Erciyes University

Main Topics:

İletişim Çalışmaları

Journal:

Erciyes İletişim Dergisi Issue Special Issue of the 1st Environment and Communication: Climate Change and Sustainability Symposium, pp.45-68

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

4/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001329873

pISSN:

1308-3198

Environmental Sociology

Ecosystem Discourse

Arcadian Discourse

Environmental Justice Discourse

Documentary

Netflix.Çevre sosyolojisi

Ekosistem söylemi

Arkadyan söylem

Çevresel Adalet söylemi

Belgesel

Netflix.

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Mertcan Mutlu

Publisher: Erciyes University

Main Topics: İletişim Çalışmaları

Journal: Erciyes İletişim Dergisi Issue Special Issue of the 1st Environment and Communication: Climate Change and Sustainability Symposium, pp.45-68

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 4/2025

Document Language: English

Document ID (Org No.): 2001329873

pISSN: 1308-3198

Issues

Authors:

Mertcan Mutlu

Publisher:

Erciyes University

Main Topics:

İletişim Çalışmaları

Journal:

Erciyes İletişim Dergisi Issue Special Issue of the 1st Environment and Communication: Climate Change and Sustainability Symposium, pp.45-68

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

4/2025

Document Language:

English

Document ID (Org No.):

2001329873

pISSN:

1308-3198