Turkish Nationalism and Western Civilization

by Ziya Gökalp, Niyazi Berkes (translator)

English, Turkish (translation)

336 pages, Hardcover

First published December 10, 1981

About the author

Mehmet Ziya Gökalp (d. 23 Mart 1875, Çermik – ö. 25 Ekim 1924, İstanbul), yapıtları ve görüşleriyle Türkçülüğü ve Türk milliyetçiliğini önemli ölçüde etkileyen Türk toplumbilimci, yazar, şair ve siyasetçidir. Meclis-i Mebusan'da ve Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi'nde milletvekilliği yapmıştır. "Türk millîyetçiliğinin babası" olarak da anılır.

Reviews

[Shawn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gökalp regularly gravitated toward statesmanship & philosophy. He's a sound standard for pedagogy. He was a thinker & was active 'on the scene.' The reader receives a portrait of the struggle of new & enlightening ideas to come forth in an age of dying empires and warring states. Gokalp had a framework of thinking and it becomes apparent how he envisions progress. Much of the reading was quite difficult, honestly, in its clunky terminology. This isn't really Gökalp's fault. Words such as nation, or state, or culture, or ethnicity, were not so readily defined much less understood. And in Turkey there was a uniquely large diversity of peoples. So, this book captures Turkey at a point in its history, namely when a constitution had to be addressed, and certain laws to protect the life of citizens established. It's for students, not a casual reader. History buffs or theology students might appreciate it. Otherwise I'd steer clear here, for the writing can be quite dry & analytical/formulaic, and it's all a translation from Turkish into English, soooooo, it doesn't glide so gracefully on the page. But I like theology & history, and I found it to be both bearable & informative.