Life and struggle of Hikmet Kıvılcımlı as an intellectual and activist (1902-1971)

This study aims to explain the life of Hikmet Kıvılcımlı, one of Turkey's most important thinkers and activists, and his intellectual and political journey through primary sources. The study goes beyond being a historical biography and evaluates the social and political turmoil of Kıvılcımlı's time in the light of his experiences. Accordingly, memoirs, personal diaries and testimonies form the basis of the thesis. Within the scope of the research, the clippings and documents obtained from press sources reflecting the characteristics of the period and Kıvılcımlı's determination to struggle were meticulously analysed. In particular, the USTE Archive (International Institute of Social History - IISH), which contains original documents from the period, contributed greatly to the enrichment of this study. The archive documents provide important details not only about Kıvılcımlı's life, but also about the people and circles he interacted with. In the research, Kıvılcımlı's human side, the difficulties he experienced and the traces he left on his environment were analysed in more depth through anecdotes and memories. This approach reveals that Kıvılcımlı was not only a thinker and revolutionary, but also a figure who left deep traces in the social memory of the period. In conclusion, this study introduces Hikmet Kıvılcımlı as an intellectual and political actor, while providing a social and cultural context surrounding his life. At the same time, it aims to open a new window to the past through historical documents and personal testimonies.