Abstract
DETERMINATIONS ON THE NECESSITY OF THE BALKAN TURKS’ LITERATURE AND CULTURE TO BE IN TURKISH UNIVERSITY EDUCATION
After Ottoman Empire had to retreat from the Balkans, a significant Turkish population remained in the states founded. Majority and dominant before, the Turkish population became minority then.
Not only the heart breaking incidents occurred during the immigration which started in the 19th century and proceeded tragically but also the pressure and intimidation policies of the newly founded governments caused various traumas in the Balkan Turks’ mind and soul. Nevertheless, centennially cultural accumulation through the Ottoman times and efforts to form and preserve a contemporary literature continued among the Turkish people of the Balkans. It is an important duty to reciprocate the efforts of the Balkan Turks, in general for Turkey and specifically for the universities. Undoubtedly, contributing with organisations like conferences, symposiums and panels is a part of this duty to preserve the Turkish culture and literature in the region. However, it is believed that the culture and contemporary literature productions’ introduction and education tried to be preserved by the Balkan Turks are crucial as an deficiency is noticed especially in the education that is taught prominently in Turkish literature and Turkish Language Teaching departments of the social domains of the Turkish universities.
In this study, fundamental periods, representatives and essential productions of the Balkan Turks literature along with how the Balkan Turks’ culture finds a place in Turkish university education will be examined with references.
Considering that the newly graduated teacher candidates and young Turkologists are not fully informed about the Balkan Turks literature and culture, introducing and teaching the Turkish presence in the Balkans and literary activities of the region is important as it shows the language, culture and history unity of the Turkish people, proves that the Balkans are Turkish land and connects the ties between Balkan Turks and Turks of Turkey.
Keywords
Balkans, Balkan Turks, culture, language and literature
