CONSTRUCTİNG NATIONAL IDENTITY IN POST-INDEPENDENCE TURKMENISTAN

Bağımsızlık Sonrası Türkmenistan’da Millî Kimlik İnşası

Abstract

Turkmenistan seceded from the Soviet Union in 1990, declared its independence in 1991 and became a neutral country. While Turkmenistan was a society within the Soviet regime under the slogan of the brotherhood (internationalism) of peoples before independence, national identity, values and elements were considered non-existent. However, with independence, the way the country is governed changes. Of course, replacing the socialist regime with independence causes social and economic problems. In the new period, Turkmens put aside the old and planned to build a national identity within them. State institutions and the people work together to create their unique identity. Media and press play an essential role in this task. Awareness of national identity is created through television, newspapers and magazines. Writers, poets, intellectuals and journalists assume significant responsibilities in this task and produce new and original works. Heads of state and bureaucracy do their part in the construction/formation of national identity. More than thirty years have passed since independence. In this period, independent Turkmenistan has taken significant steps in creating a national identity, as in every other issue. In this article, firstly, identity and national identity are defined based on the scientific thesis put forward by N. Bilgin and M. Aşkın. Then, the national identity constructed in Turkmenistan is explained through examples and practices. In line with the sampling, comparison, historical and scientific materialist method, the construction of Turkmen national identity and its path in thirty years has been revealed.

 Key words: Turkmenistan, Turkmen, Turkmen Literature, Identity, National Identity.