‘Post-Turkish’ Studies and Political Narrative

Abstract: Narrative is underscored with multilinear, micro-exemplars of political phenomena. This article examines political narratives on the Republic of Turkey that form mainstream paradigmatic approaches. By attending to narrative inconsistencies and to paradigmatic narrative arrays, forms, and processes, this article explores convergent discourses that imply a structured political narrative on modern Turkey. Particular discourse constructions are analyzed, such as the Kemalist narrative and Turkey and identity. The paper asks if the Republic of Turkey is reducible to the customary coordinates of unifying narratives in light of the existence of irreconcilable spaces—pre-emergent spaces that can be located within post-Turkish studies.