Books of good manners and the transformation of religiosity in the construction of modern Turkish identity (1930-1939)

The subject of the transformation of everyday life has become the focus of scientific research in a recent historical time. This subject, which is generally dealt with by the sociology community, has been studied through various tools such as newspapers, magazines, news, novels and memoirs. One of these means is etiquette works, which are both a result of the changing life and one of the driving forces of the transformation to be experienced. These works are important in terms of observing the ideal forms of change and showing the changing and desired values ​​in a changing life. In this context, in the changing historical process, the relationship of individuals and societies with religion can be read through the works of etiquette. The first adab literature that emerged in the context of Ottoman modernization has relatively moved away from the classical understanding of etiquette based on religion and custom. In the Republican era, adab writers adopted a more secular approach with the state's effort to transform social life with reforms. This is religion; It has resulted in the change of its place, functions and position in the adab works of the period. Our research has focused on this context and has taken it as a problem to subject the transformation of religiosity in the formation process of modern and civil identity in the context of Turkish modernization to a sociological reading within the framework of etiquette books. By examining this problem; In the period of the construction of the modern and civilized Turkish identity through the books of etiquette; The main purpose of our research is to reveal the change in the role, position and weight of society and the individual and to reveal its place in the new human prototype that is desired to be created. In order to realize this aim, qualitative research method and document analysis technique were preferred. As a result of the research, the typology of the approach to religion of the writers of the period was revealed and it was seen that the perspective on religion in the adab literature changed according to the mentality of the authors, but an approach was adopted on the axis of modernity.