Synopses & Reviews
Formation of the Turkish Nation-State, 1920-1938 is a sociological examination of the formulation and institutionalization of Turkish nationhood during the early Republic. Yesim Bayar explores the process through which the political elite formulated the main constitutive elements of Turkish nationhood, as well as the underlying reasons for this formulation. Focusing on the domains of education, language, and citizenship, the study offers insights into how the Republican elite situated different ethnic, linguistic, and religious groups within the nation.
Review
Review
'Exploring the nature and historical roots of Turkish nationalism, this book speaks to cutting-edge scholarship across several disciplines and geographies and makes remarkable contributions to the literature on the highly contested issues of nationhood, nationalism, and national belonging. Bayar's approach departs from dominant tendencies in sociology and political science in several key ways. Rather than focus on the causes of nation building, Bayar offers a detailed analysis of the process of nation building, which traces the shifting and sometimes contradictory visions of the political elite to reveal the importance of unintended and non-strategic factors. The combination of her methodological approach and a rich sociological and political theory of nation-building renders the book significant.' - Berna Turam, Middle East Center for Peace, Culture and Development, Northeastern University, USA
'It is often assumed that Ataturk founded modern Turkey in one go, on the back of military victory. Yesim Bayar's comprehensive account of the early years of the Republic shows that this was not the case. This is a brilliant account of the terms that defined political debate over language, education and the nature of the nation, and it is an important contribution of comparative historical studies in general.' - John A. Hall, McGill University, Canada
Synopsis
This book is a historical sociological examination of the formulation and institutionalization of Turkish nationhood during the early Republic (1920-1938). Focusing on the language, education, and citizenship policies advanced during the period, it looks at how the Republican elite situated different ethnic, linguistic, and religious groups.
About the Author
Yesim Bayar teaches Sociology at Concordia University, Canada, and is a Visiting Scholar in the Department of Sociology at McGill University, Canada. She received PhD in Sociology from McGill University and her MSc in Development Studies from the London School of Economics and Political Science, UK.