The concept of Turkism in Ziya Gökalp's thought and its influence on political parties in Turkey

This thesis aims to convey the concepts of nation, national identity, and nationalism, the varieties of nationalism, theoretical debates related to nationalism, and the importance of the development of Turkish nationalism within the framework of Ziya Gökalp's intellectual world. The first section of the study addresses the concept of nationalism, national identity, theories of nationalism, and its various forms. Within this framework, Ziya Gökalp's place in nationalist theory, the names and movements that influenced his intellectual world, Durkheimian influences, his original contributions to the relationship between culture and nation, and comparisons with French and German understandings of nationalism are examined. Thus, the process of formation of the intellectual foundations of Turkish nationalism is investigated. The second chapter focuses on Turkish nationalism. Within this scope, the meaning of Turkism, its emergence, and the political situation of the Ottoman Empire are evaluated. The political structure of Turkism within the Young Turks and the Committee of Union and Progress, its impact on the people during the National Literature period, and its interaction with political movements such as Ottomanism, Islamism, and Westernisation in the Ottoman Empire are addressed. Furthermore, the cultural and academic foundations of Turkism, Turkish history and language theses, academic institutionalisation processes, and reflections in popular culture are examined. The third chapter focuses on Ziya Gökalp, who made a significant contribution to the systematisation of Turkism. This chapter examines Gökalp's contributions to Turkish nationalism, his approach to the Turan idea, the distinction between populism, civilisation and culture, his view of Turkism in his works, his influence on the ideology of the Republic, the People's Houses, and his work on language and history. Furthermore, a comparison is made between Atatürk's and Gökalp's understandings of Turkism. The fourth chapter examines the place of Turkish nationalism in state policies during the Republican era. It discusses the Gökalpist influences during the single-party period, the evolution of nationalism in a multi-party system, and how Gökalp's influence continued from the Democratic Party to the Justice Party, the MHP, the İYİ Party, the Victory Party, and the Justice and Development Party. In conclusion, Turkish nationalism has maintained its dynamism in line with the requirements of the period from the Ottoman Empire to the Republic. Gökalp's ideas have strengthened the foundations of Turkish nationalism and have been an important factor in shaping the nationalist consciousness that developed during the Republican era. Keywords: Nation, Nationalism, Turkism, MHP, İYİ Party, Victory Party.