Popularization of Ertuğrul by the Populists, Elite, and Celebrities

This chapter explores how some sections of the Pakistani elite, celebrities, and populist politicians including the ruling PTI leaders facilitated Turkey’s projection of soft and sharp powers in Pakistan by enthusiastically receiving, emulating, disseminating, and popularizing the Turkish Islamist civilizational populist TV drama ‘Resurrection: Ertuğrul.’ Through an analysis of newspaper archives and social media content from March 2020 to August 2021, the chapter identifies and examines the roles of the local elite—including politicians, religious leaders, media elites, actors, TV hosts, fashion designers, and businesspeople. These figures have been pivotal in mainstreaming the series and fostering a sense of interconnectedness with the concept of a transnational Ummah, capturing a significant local viewership. The methodologies employed included the use of Factiva and Google for newspaper data triangulation and digital ethnography for extracting relevant social media posts. The analysis reveals the direct show promotion, cultural and Islamic value integration, and collaborative efforts with Turkish producers.