Latinization of the Language Under the Leadership of Turkey as a Tool for the Formation of a New Identity for the Turkic Post-Soviet States

Abstract

The study examines the issue of creating a common Turkic alphabet through the prism of Turkey’s interests in its attempts to form a new identity for the Turkic states. It is noted that the collapse of the Soviet Union and the formation of five new Turkic states were positively received in Turkey and gave impetus to the activation of pan-Turkic ideas. Thus, one of the aspects of Ankara’s humanitarian interaction with the newly formed countries was cooperation within the framework of linguistic reforms, where Turkey actively advocated for the Latinization of the alphabet of the Turkic states. The authors analyze the phenomenon of language in constructing the identity of states. Turkey, which has experience in radical linguistic reforms, recognizes the potential of such transformations in the Turkic space. Ankara seeks to lead this process in order to promote its own logics and narratives, which should ultimately lead to the adoption of the Turkish language as a single language for the Turks. It is noted that with the reformatting of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS), there has been a tendency to return to the agenda of discussions of a single alphabet for the Turkic peoples. Ankara promotes this topic at expert seminars, CTG meetings, etc. It is concluded that Turkey’s strategy is aimed at the long term and the lack of quick results in this area does not indicate its failure. Ankara systematically takes up the entire spectrum of interaction with Turkic partners, creating the foundation for future integration.