Reflection of Kemalist ideology in the Turkish novel of the republican era in terms of type and discourse

Kemalism, unlike the systems of thought in the West, did not emerge as a result of interpreting styles of thinking or production relations, but rather was shaped as a response to a specific social need. As an indicator of social necessity, Kemalist types emerged before the ideological structure and established values that provided legitimacy during the National Struggle process. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk did not intervene in the discussion of Kemalism among intellectuals until the mid-1930s, as he initially did not find it appropriate for Kemalism to be constructed as an ideology. After his death, Kemalism became one of the political instruments of political actors, leading to its gradual detachment from Atatürk's historical and social context. The Turkish Novel of the Republican Era, like many other subjects, possesses rich content regarding Kemalism. Particularly between 1923 and 1990, it is seen that authors have incorporated this subject into their works throughout their historical trajectory. Writers such as Halide Edip Adıvar, Reşat Nuri Güntekin, Yakup Kadri Karaosmanoğlu, Mehmet Rauf, Samim Kocagöz, Attila İlhan, Oğuz Atay, and Tarık Buğra addressed Kemalism from various perspectives in their works. In the novels of the Atatürk Era (1923-1938), the social and historical roots of Kemalism are examined. Novels from the National Chief Period (1938-1946) similarly emphasize the necessity and societal impacts of Kemalism. In the novels of the Transition to Multi-Party Period (1946-1950), Kemalism is addressed through its social effects. The novels of the Coup Period (1950-1980) expand the scope of discussion by focusing on the critical consciousness of Kemalism. The novels of the Post-Coup Period (1980-1990) consider Kemalism as an effective method of defense against the observed negative changes in the social structure. In this study, fifteen novels by authors who produced Works during these periods were analyzed using content analysis. The common and different aspects of the analyses conducted under the titles of type and discourse were discussed. It has been seen that Kemalism in the Turkish Novel of the Republican Era is a subject discussed from various angles. It has been determined that this concept, which was discussed with its founding and savior legitimacy in the early periods, was subjected to social criticism after 1946, its effects on society were discussed from 1946 to the 1980s, and it was believed to maintain its validity as a new way out from the 1980s onwards.