Neuro-novel and novels of Serkan Karaismailoğlu

Since the beginning of humanity, the brain has been a constant subject of research and curiosity. Advances in neuroscience continue to expand the knowledge of the brain and neurons. The rapid dissemination of information in the postmodern era brings along interaction between various disciplines. In this context, neuro-scientific studies are increasingly forming a connection with the artistic realm; scientific elements appear in literary texts, while literary narrative techniques find a place in scientific studies. This dialogue between literature and science has paved the way for a new narrative form known as the neuro-novel. The neuro-novel can be defined as a subgenre of postmodern fiction that explores the functionings of the human brain, consciousness, the mind, and neurological disorders within a fictional framework. It is also referred to in the literature as neuro-narrative, neuro-fiction, cognitive fiction, syndrome novel, or brain narrative. Although the term was first coined in 1997 by American literary critic Marco Roth, the origins of the neuro-novel date back to the 1980s. While this genre has flourished particularly in American literature, it has yet to gain significant ground in Turkish literature. Serkan Karaismailoğlu, known both as an academic and a writer, is the first to use the concept of the neuro-novel in Turkish literature and continues to produce works in this genre. His Mater Trilogy (Pia Mater, Arachnoid Mater, Dura Mater) reflects an original effort to merge the disciplines of medicine and literature. Incorporating elements of science fiction and dystopian fiction, the trilogy also engages with medical terminology, general knowledge, and artificial intelligence in a technological context. This study aims to examine the emergence and core characteristics of the neuro-novel, a concept not yet widely recognized in Turkish literature. It focuses on Karaismailoğlu's Mater Trilogy to evaluate its contribution to the genre and its place in Turkish literature.