The role of national anthes in the construction of national identity: The case of Turkey

With the nations becoming the legitimate ground on which political power is based, Nation-building efforts to create national identity have increased since the late 18th century, and states have begun to mobilize common narratives and symbols that define communities within their borders as a single nation. National anthems are one of the various nation-building narratives and symbols used in these periods, such as the flag, capital, leader, epic, and conquest. National anthems are one of the various nation-building narratives and symbols used in these periods, such as the flag, capital, leader, epic, and conquest. The texts of these anthems guided and contributed significantly to the formation of the national identity envisioned by the state. The aim of this thesis is to reveal the effects of the National Anthem in the formation of Turkish national identity. In this context, what is the role of national anthems in the construction of national identity at the theoretical level, how the national anthems of France and Germany, which are accepted as different nation-building schools, contribute to the formation of national identities and by comparing the National Anthem with these schools, answers of these matters were sought to the questions about the effects of the Turkish national identity. As a result, with the analysis framework created at the beginning of the study, the national anthems of France and Germany were examined and their effects on their national identities were evaluated and it was determined that they carried the spirit of the period in which they were written and that they tried to build national identities in parallel with the founding values. When the role of the National Anthem in the construction of national identity in Turkey is evaluated, it is seen that the nation-state (national) symbols suitable for the founding values are included in the text of the anthem, and there are also values that are not compatible with the ideal national identity profile that became evident in the later period. It has been evaluated that there are similarities as well as differences between the national anthems of France and Germany with the Turkish National Anthem.