Nation construction in early republic and nationalism in language

The purpose of this study is to try to clarify the role of language in Ottoman national system and in early Republic era during the nation-construction period. The focus of this analysis is the influence of language on the creation of Turkish national identity, along with historic development of concepts like modernisation, nationalism, nation-state, voluntary vs. ethnic natiıonalism, nationalism on language. Furthermore, the effect of these same concepts on Ottoman Empire and newly founded Turkish Republic has been analysed, in addition to language reforms in Republic period and how the new national structure was affected accordingly. According to this study, the founders of there public were the voluntary nationalism. The newly founded nation was aimed to gain the new Turkish identity and the content of the concept of being Turkish was broadended in such a way that it covered all the ethic and religious groups. However, the heritage of Ottoman Empire in terms of diversity and multi-cultralism, soon began to be seen as a problem and voluntary nationalism was replaced by ethic nationalism. With the newly moderated laws, the public was made to adopt the official ideology and emphasis on the ethnic structure of Turkish Republic.