Kurgulama

Kurgulama is a Turkish term that denotes the act of constructing or fabricating a narrative, scenario, or event. Rooted in kurgu, meaning fiction or plot, and the suffix -lama which marks an action or process, kurgulama covers both legitimate narrative design in fiction and the deliberate arrangement of elements to mislead or deceive. The term is used across literature, journalism, media studies, and everyday speech to describe how stories or situations are organized or staged.

In literary and screen contexts, kurgulama refers to the process of plotting, world-building, and structuring a narrative. In journalism and political discourse, it is often used to describe the staging of events, selective presentation, or fabricated evidence intended to create a particular impression. The implication of intent distinguishes kurgulama from neutral storytelling; however, the term can also appear in analyses that treat staged or constructed content as a phenomenon requiring scrutiny, regardless of motive.

Scholars and media practitioners discuss kurgulama in relation to media literacy, critical viewing, and misinformation studies. In Turkish media theory, attention is given to how audiences assess authenticity when narratives are tightly engineered, and to the ethical implications of creating or presenting staged content as reality. In fiction, kurgulama is a neutral descriptor of craft—plotting, dialogue design, and scenario planning—without judgement, while in journalism and public discourse it often signals a concern about manipulation or deceit.