The sociological foundations of Turkish nationalism

Abstract:

Although Ziya Gökalp was one of the most important intellectuals to shape Turkish nationalism, scholarship has not systematically examined the links between his sociological perspective and nationalism. This study shows how Gökalp’s culture‒civilization theory, predominantly adapted from Emile Durkheim’s sociological perspective, provides a basis for his Turkish nationalism.

This article not only provides a comprehensive account of the roots of Turkish nationalism but also posits a fresh perspective on Gökalp’s trinity of Turkification, Islamization and modernization. In so doing, it underlines Durkheim’s indirect impact on the foundations of Turkish nationalism.