Orientalism and invention of tradition in cultural concept

Ziya Gökalp is an important figure of the Turkish-Ottoman modernization era who not only played an important role in the formation of Turkish nationalism but also poineered the foundation of sociology in Turkey. He is also one of the most outstanding figures who had a great influence on the ideological paradigm of the Republic of Turkey. The present article studies Ziya Gökalp’s differentiation between culture (hars) and civilization (medeniyet) and his invention of tradition when theorizing Turkish nationalism. The article will also handle the orientalist influence on this invention of tradition and differentiation between culture and civilization. It indicates how Gökalp differentiates culture from civilization by taking civilization as the scientific and technological plane that should be open to orientalist influence, and hars as the plane that distinguishes the Turkish nation from other nations and thus should be protected from Western influence. This article argues that though Gökalp takes hars as the core principle of the Turkish nation, he thoerizes this plane by inventing tradition and via the concepts that arose in the 19th century ideological atmosphere of Europe.

Culture (Hars) ,

Civilization (Medeniyet) ,

Turkish Nationalism ,

Orientalism ,

Invention of Tradition ,