Nationalism in Galip Erdem

Generally accepted to have emerged with the French Revolution, nationalism has undergone a modeling process that varies according to sociological, political and economic structures. In the 21st century, it is a political movement in the social sciences, where its debates have intensified. The idea of Turkish nationalism, which was accepted as a "feeling" during the Gokturk period, became a systematic intellectual movement in the 19th century and emerged in its ideological aspect. Today, the idea of Turkish nationalism, which is handled with different interpretations and has not acquired a common language, remains one of the dynamics that shape politics. In this study, it is aimed to reveal Galip Erdem's understanding of nationalism in the course of the development of the idea of Turkish nationalism. Erdem is a journalist, writer and activist who came to the fore in the cultural nationalism interpretation of Turkish nationalism in the 1960s. The political emergence of Turkish nationalism began with a more inclusive interpretation of Turkism based on culture, moving away from an ethnicist structure. Turkish cultural nationalism is reflected in the idea of Idealism. In this context, the study is based on the assumptions that Erdem adopted cultural nationalism and was influential in shaping the thought system of Idealism. Erdem has also been influential in the concept of idealism, which has become widespread with the Idealist Movement, gaining its current meaning. During the September 12 period, Erdem, who stood out with his activist identity, is known as "Galip Agabey" in the nationalist community. In line with this information, it is thought that this study will contribute to the literature on Turkish nationalism. Content analysis and semi-structured interview technique were used as methods in the study. Erdem's writings in various publications, especially in Devlet Newspaper between 1960-1981, were analyzed and interviews were conducted with 23 people who had witnessed his life up close. At the end of the study, it was concluded that Erdem's understanding of nationalism overlaps with the basic features of cultural nationalism.