MACMILLAN Turkey, Kemalism and the Soviet Union: Problems of Modernization, Ideology and Interpretation (Modernity, Memory and Identity in South-East Europe)

Review “Kemalist ideology and its interpretations have generally been viewed, interpreted, and reconstructed within the Westernization paradigm. This study will allow readers to situate Kemalism in a comparative and balanced context and will remain the standard book on the subject for the foreseeable future.” (Şükrü Hanioğlu, Professor of Near Eastern Studies, Garret Professor in Foreign Affairs, Princeton University, USA)“This study of Kemalist Turkey sheds new light on an ideology that has irrigated the entire Turkish society to the present day, including the Erdogan regime. The examination of its historical links with the Soviet Union is the heart of this work which opens new historical perspectives and helps us to understand contemporary Turkey.” (Raymond H. Kévorkian, Honorary Director of Research at Université Paris 8 Saint-Denis, France)“This is an important, very instructive and innovative study. Ter-Matevosyan succeeds in carefully exposing the dizzying metamorphoses of Kemalism whose early genesis the Soviet Union had more attentively followed than self-absorbed Western powers.” (Hans-Lukas Kieser, Associate Professor, University of Newcastle, Australia and Adjunct Professor University of Zurich, Switzerland) Product Description This book examines the Kemalist ideology of Turkey from two perspectives. It discusses major problems in the existing interpretations of the topic and how the incorporation of Soviet perspectives enriches the historiography and our understanding of that ideology. To address these questions, the book looks into the origins, evolution, and transformational phases of Kemalism between the 1920s and 1970s. The research also focuses on perspectives from abroad by observing how republican Turkey and particularly its founding ideology were viewed and interpreted by Soviet observers. Paying more attention to the diplomatic, geopolitical, and economic complexities of Turkish-Soviet relations, scholars have rarely problematized those perceptions of Turkish ideological transformations. Looking at various phases of Soviet attitudes towards Kemalism and its manifestations through the lenses of Communist leaders, party functionaries, diplomats and scholars, the book illuminates the underlying dynamics of Soviet interpretations.     Review “A significant and exceptional contribution to the study of Kemalism. … a remarkable intervention from the Soviet perspective for a more thoroughgoing picture of Kemalism literature. Accompanied with the meticulous and thorough engagement with the sources from different languages, types, and in-depth interviews, this intervention renders the book a valuable resource for the students of Kemalism, Turkey, and the Soviet Union.” (Sümeyye Sakarya, Journal of Soviet and Post-Soviet Politics & Society, JSPPS, Vol. 49 (1), 2022)“Turkey, Kemalism and the Soviet Union is a comprehensive analysis of Kemalism that provides a fresh outlook and fills a gap in our understanding of Kemalism’s genesis and development by integrating the Soviet perspective. … this book is highly recommended for scholars in the fields of contemporary Turkish history and politics.” (Hryhorii Mavrov, Insight Turkey, Vol. 23 (1), 2021)“Ter-Matevosyan’s book is indispensable for researchers studying the roots of modern Turkey and its ideology. At the same time, it offers an important contribution to the history of the Soviet Union, its ideology and foreign policy.” (Naira Sahakyan, Ab Imperio, Issue 4, 2019) From the Back Cover This book examines the Kemalist ideology of Turkey from two perspectives. It discusses major problems in the existing interpretations of the topic and how the incorporation of Soviet perspectives enriches the historiography and our understanding of that ideology. To address these questions, the book looks into the origins, evolution, and transformational phases of Kemalism between the 1920s and 1970s. The research also focuses on external interpretations