BUILDING MODERN HISTORIOGRAPHY IN TURKEY IN THE EARLIER YEARS OF THE REPUBLIC

Abstract

Modern historiography in today’s sense emerged in the 19th century even though studies of history date back to very old times. It turned into an academic discipline in the 19th century due to the economic, social, political and cultural developments in Western Europe during the 15th century, and thus the science of history became the warranty for the existence of societies and one of the most important factors in social and cultural development. Although certain developments occurred in the late Ottoman era in modern historiography beside traditional historiography within the scope of modernisation movements, the area was founded and developed as an academic discipline during the Republican era- which was founded under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in the early 20th century in Turkey. This study aims to analyse the historical development of historiography in the Ottoman Empire prior to the Republican era and thus to manifest the foundations of modern historiography which were laid by the studies of history initiated by Ataturk in the early Republic period. It examines and evaluates relevant publications, theses and documents obtained from the archives of prime ministry and of the education board of ministry of national education employing document analysis.