The cultural policies of Turkish Republic during the establishment of nation state (1923-1938)

Abstract

This study aims to analyse the understanding of cultural politics during the establishment period of Turkish Republic. It is argued that this understanding of culturai politics is ideologically shaped by Kemalism that maintains Ziya Gokalp's separation of culture and civilization. These two contradictory elements are intermixed within the will of modernization and nation building process. O/kii, Yeni turk Mecmumn and programs of Republican People's Party were studied in order to make apparent the transferring of cultural politics on the public. In this context, party programs and magazins are examined in terms of their content with regard to an identity formation characterized by nationalist, populist and secular values.