Discourse Analysis of How the Family is Represented in the TV Series ‘Under the Foot of Mother

One of the important functions of television is its discourse function. Television, through the production of cultural texts, represents and reproduces the discourses that govern society. One of the discourse texts that plays an effective role in the representation of discourse is TV series. TV series as one of the popular genres has attracted a large audience and is one of the suitable formats for representing and reproducing values ​​and discourses. Television, as an ideological device, tries to dominate a certain discourse through these serials by naturally showing some actions and attitudes, and introduce this discourse to its audience as a common custom. Examining how the family discourse is constructed and how certain elements of it are highlighted on television, and whether the represented discourse seeks to induce what interpretation or construction of the family is an issue that needs to be considered. In this regard, the main purpose of the present study was to investigate the dominant discourse of the family and its harms, which was done using the method of Laclau and Mouffe discourse analysis.  

In the present study to answer the research question, the method of discourse analysis (with emphasis on the analysis of Laclau and Mouffe discourse), which is one of the important approaches of representation theory, was used. It should be noted that the choice of a series for discourse analysis depended on the existence of specific features of discourse in that series. These characteristics were the existence of different discourses, delimitation of discourse boundaries, open conflict between discourses, and the social consequences of each discourse. Also, being popular, focusing on family issues, focusing on social realities related to this phenomenon such as (divorce, violence, generation gap, value and semantic conflicts, the vulnerability of private territory, weakening family institution and emotional transformation such as loyalty and intimacy) and serial role in stirring up a public debate on the subject of the individual and the family has been a hallmark of serial selection.  For this purpose, an attempt was made to first identify the discourse relationship represented in the film, which aims to identify the central points, articulate, and determine the rival discourses, and then we have sought to end the discourse confrontation. Finally, the relationship of the represented discourses with the text (social context) is discussed.  

The discourse analysis of this series showed that in this series, two types of families in transition and the traditional family were represented. The transition family represented in this series has features such as core family, romantic love, non-constructive problem-solving style, filial piety, neutralization of abnormal and high-risk behaviors, resentment, and unforgiveness. Among the main characteristics of the Satani family were characteristics such as extended family, patriarchy, severe family prejudices, non-constructive problem-solving style, support and advocacy, collectivism, and family orientation. The subject of this series is one of the main challenges of our current society because, in the field of the role of the family in the social order, there are different discourses in the society that have confused families. In the series ‘Under the Foot of Mother’, the two discourses of the traditional family and the family in transition are presented, each with their elements and moments. But in the end, after many struggles between these two discourses, everything ends in favor of the traditional discourse. The series leads us to rejoin a traditional family gathering, albeit with a more or less new definition.