Balkan Geography Research Articles

Bektashi Tekkes in the XIXth Century Balkan Geography: Local Relations and Socioeconomic Problems

Tekkeler, her ne kadar tasavvuf faaliyetlerinin yürütüldüğü mekanlar olsa da bulundukları bölgelerde toplumsal hayatın vazgeçilmez birer parçası olmuşlardır. Var oldukları yerlerde nüfuzlarının niceliğine göre ahalinin türlü sebepler ile gittiği dinsel, sosyal, kültürel vb. alanlarda birer merkez niteliğinde idiler. Bunların yanında çoğu zaman devletin de bölgedeki temsilcileri konumundadırlar. Bu minvalde Bektaşi tekkeleri de bulundukları coğrafyada belirli bir döneme kadar devleti temsil etmiş özellikle Balkan coğrafyasında Osmanlı’nın hoşgörü yüzü olmuşlardır. Ancak XIX. yüzyılda devletin Bektaşilere karşı değişen tutumu ve özellikle Bektaşi ahalinin yoğun olmadığı bölgelerdeki Sünni ve Gayri Müslim nüfusun da bu tarikat ile ilişkilerinde değişiklikler meydana getirmiştir. Değişen ilişkiler bağlamında tekke çevresindeki farklı itikatlara sahip halk tarafından çeşitli suçlamalara maruz kalmışlardır. Bektaşi tekkelerine karşı yapılan bu suçlamalardan en temel olanı; onların “muhalif-i şer’i” hareketlerde bulunmasıdır. Bu kavram çok geniş ve tartışmaya açık bir suçlamadır. Bununla birlikte Bektaşiliği suiistimal eden çok büyük bir kitlenin de olduğunu söylemekte yarar vardır. Bu büyük grubun içine genellikle tekke civarında oturan Sünni akaitli ahaliler, yine tekke civarında bulunan yerel devlet yöneticileri, ehl-i sünnet akaidindeki dini görevliler, diğer tarikat şeyhleri, ahali içinden âyan veya eşraftan kişiler olmakla birlikte bazen de civarda bulunan Hristiyan ahali bile girebilmekteydi. Tekkeler, bu grupların her biriyle ekonomik, sosyal ve dini etmenlere göre karşılıklı bir etkileşim içerisindeydiler. Bazı zamanlarda ise sadece çevre ile değil, tekke içinde şeyhlik atamaları, ekonomik ve dış kaynaklı nedenlerden dolayı problemler de çıkabildiği görülmektedir. Bu çalışmada, konuya geniş kapsamlı bir bakış sunmakta ve devletin Bektaşilere karşı değişen tutumu neticesinde tekkelerin sosyal çevre ile ilişkileri arşiv belgeleri ışığında analiz edilecektir.

Turkish As A Heritage Language In Skopje

Today, one of the countries where Turkish language teaching is common is the Republic of North Macedonia, located in the Balkan peninsula. Many ethnic communities live in North Macedonia. Macedonians, Albanians, Turks, Bosnians, Serbs, Vlachs and Romani constitute the different ethnic national structure of North Macedonia. As in many countries of the Balkans, Turks living in North Macedonia have preserved their mother tongue, culture and traditions. In addition, ethnic groups in North Macedonia were given the right to education in their mother tongue, and thus education and training in Turkish continued. Since Turkish was the language of education, science, art and commerce in this region during the Ottoman period, it has been able to maintain its influence and existence until today. The speakers of Turkish as a heritage language in this region are not only Turks. Other ethnic groups (Romani, Bosnian, Serbian, Vlach, Torbesh, Bulgarian), especially Albanians, are both carriers and protectors of Turkish as a heritage language. In the Balkan geography, where linguistic and cultural heritage is a richness that creates mutual understanding, Skopje is one of the places where individuals from different cultures and ethnic origins come together. The aim of this study is to reveal the socio-cultural role of Turkish in intercultural interaction in Skopje. Today, the existence of Turkish as a heritage language in the Balkans, especially in Skopje, is influenced not only by the Turks in the region, but also by the existence of other ethnic groups. In the study, non-interactive qualitative research design was used. In this study, it is aimed to define the existence of Turkish in Skopje and to evaluate it within the scope of heritage language. In this context, it is thought that the study will contribute to the field by adding new and different dimensions to the concept of heritage language due to the presence of Turkish in the Balkans.

MENTIONS OF THE DANUBE IN THE POETRY OF CLAUDIUS CLAUDIANUS

Claudian (Claudius Claudianus fl. 395 CE–404 CE) was a late antique poet from the Hellenised East, who rose to fame as the court poet for the western Roman emperor Honorius (393– 423). He came to Rome around 395 CE, and there he began using his talent as a classically trained poet to write panegyrics for wealthy and influential aristocrats and politicians. Claudian is considered one of the best authors of late Roman literature, even though he directed his talents toward propaganda primarily celebrating the well-known military commander Stilicho and writing invectives against Stilicho’s enemies at the court of the eastern Roman emperor Arcadius (395–408). Claudian’s poetry is one of the most valuable sources for the history of this period. In his rich poetic images, he mentions many toponyms, oronyms, and hydronyms, and his knowledge of Balkan geography seems truly enviable. One of the most frequently mentioned hydronyms in Claudian’s poetry are those referring to the river Danube, which he mentions thirty-eight times. In this paper the authors cite and analyse Claudian’s references to the Danube as a river that was a very important natural, political, and cultural border for the ancient world.

Architectural Distinctiveness of the 15th Century Ottoman Tombs in Skopje: Learning from the Recent Archeological Excavation

Grave structures are architectural works reflecting the cultural accumulation, continuity and political power of societies. In addition, graveyards or necropolises and grave structures themselves, have an important contribution in shaping urban forms of cities. This article aims to evaluate the impact of crypted tombs (mezar odalı türbe), originating from the Kurgan culture of the Turks, in shaping the urban morphology of Skopje, as a Turkish city during the 15th century. Crypted tombs, which are very few in the Balkan geography, are a type of tombs mostly built during the Seljuk and Early Ottoman periods. The rich architectural forms and local aesthetic qualities of tombs have attracted a lot of research attention. As a result, tomb typology was defined by classifying the tombs according to the architectural peculiarities such as plan, volume shape, roofing system and applied materials. For the purpose of this paper, available sources were examined and the typology for six crypted tombs of Skopje was prepared. In addition, the archive documents describing the immediate surroundings of the tombs were examined, and the confusion of information about the tombs was clarified. After the definitions and typology of the tombs were determined, the locations of these tombs in the city of Skopje were defined, confirming the urban development approach applied since the Early Ottoman period. This paper relies on the results of Archaeological Excavation and Research Project of the Pasha Yiğit Bey Tomb, which was done under the auspices of the Şarık TARA, in Skopje, during which three crypted tombs were found beside the previously known ones. In this study, the tombs unearthed as a result of archaeological excavations are defined in the context of the 15th century Early Ottoman city structure. The crypted tombs found in Skopje are discussed for the first time in this study.

Bunalımdan Dostluğa: Yugoslavya Kralı I. Alexander’in Atatürk İle Görüşmesi (4 Ekim 1933)

The rapprochement of Turkey and Yugoslavia shows parallelism with important developments in the course of history. As a matter of fact, the common historical past of both countries was the Balkan policy, the legacy left behind by the withdrawal of Muslim Turks from the Balkans, and most importantly, their establishment as two new states after the First World War. Therefore, the possibility of a new war due to unresolved issues after the World War II and the aggressive policies of Italy and Germany brought along new searches. İn this context, Atatürk felt the inevitability of an alliance in the Balkans, taking into account the possibility of a war. The foreign policy of Atatürk's period was shaped with a peace-oriented tendency, which helped him to get closer to the states that were in favor of peace. This rapprochement took place with Yugoslavia, which was worried about the Balkan geography. The dominant factor that brought Yugoslavia and Turkey together on the same plane was regional approaches. Atatürk's pro-peace stance greatly influenced King Alexander and therefore caused him to pay a visit to Turkey on 3-4 October 1933. This visit was to see closely the stage that Turkey had gone through in a short time and to lay the groundwork for the search for a new alliance between the Balkan states. Acting with this mission, King Alexander assumed the role of a bridge for the security of the Balkan geography. Alexander, who wanted to take advantage of Turkey's active position at this point, had been in close contact with Atatürk. The establishment of the Balkan Pact was the fruit of this effort.

The Impact of the Ukraine Crisis on the Balkans

Goal – to analyze the political, economic, military, and social effects of the Ukraine Crisis on the Balkan Geography. ‣ Research methodology – the article includes an analysis of the available literature. A comprehensive press review of the Balkan countries was made and the study was shaped by qualitative data analysis. Score/results – the conducted analysis allowed us to verify the research hypothesis positively. The Ukraine Crisis reactivated the Cold War practice within the Balkan countries and increased the polarization among the Balkan countries. In the article, it was emphasized that the ethnic and religious fault lines between the countries of the region became more visible. It has been foreseen that the uncertainty in the region will pave the way for the Kosovo Crisis to come to the fore again in the upcoming period. Originality/value – the article was performed by the author independently, without outside help. The article contains links to quotes, as well as links to legislation. In essence, the article is an overview report. In the study, it was predicted that the Ukraine Crisis could act as a lever in the enlargement process of the European Union and NATO. In addition, it was emphasized that within the framework of the 21st-century digital world order, the Ukraine Crisis may have new consequences in addition to the previous crises. Energy transformation and cryptocurrency markets are examples of this situation.

Person and place names in Ömer Seyfettin's works

Ömer Seyfettin, modern Türk öyküsünün kurucu isimlerindendir. Balkan coğrafyasındaki siyasi gelişmeleri yakından izlemiş, askerlik izlenimlerini özellikle Balkan Savaşlarının siyasi ve sosyal sebep ve sonuçlarını öykülerinde işlemiştir. İstanbul merkez olmak üzere Osmanlı coğrafyası ile Balkan coğrafyasındaki siyasi ve sosyal gelişmelerin izleri bütün öykülerinde görülmektedir. Bu devrin ortaya çıkardığı insan tiplerini de öne çıkan özellikleriyle eserlerinde işlemiştir. Olumlu insan tipleri yanında olumsuz tipleri de bu devrin sosyal ve siyasi durumlarını yansıtıcı özellikte seçilmiştir. Yazar, bu tipleri bilinçli olarak seçmiştir. Öykülerinin konularını genellikle gerçek hayattan alan yazar, millî bilinci uyanık tutmayı amaç edinmiştir. II. Meşrutiyet döneminde toplumun aksayan yönlerini öykü kişilerinin bazen doğrudan bazen dolaylı olarak eleştirmesini sağlamıştır. Gerek Batı (Fransız) gerekse Doğu (Arap-Fars) etkisinde yaşam süren tipleri çok dikkat çekici anlatım yöntemleriyle öykülerinde yansıtmıştır. Konularını anılarından, tarihî olaylardan, efsanelerden ve devrin günlük hayat tarzından seçmiştir. Gerek lakaplar gerek unvanlar gerek kişi adları gerekse eserlerinde kullanılan yer adları tarihsellik açısından son derece önemlidir. Kişi ve yer adları, dilbilimsel antropoloji açısından önemlidir. Adlar, ait olduğu kültürün bir tür aynası sayılabilir. Bu açıdan edebî eserlerde kullanılan adlar da yazıldığı dönemin birçok özelliğine ışık tutmaktadır. Türk edebiyatının önemli öykü yazarı Ömer Seyfettin’in ölümünün 100. yıldönümünde anılması, tanıtılması ve gelecek kuşaklara aktarılması amacıyla 2020 yılı “Ömer Seyfettin Yılı” ilan edilmiştir. Bu düşünceyle Ömer Seyfettin’in eserlerini ad bilimsel olarak ele alan bu çalışmada, Ömer Seyfettin’in öykülerindeki kişi ve yer adları ele alınacak, yazarın öykülerinde iletmek istediği mesajlar bu açıdan daha somut hâle getirilecektir.

Globalization in the context of multiculturalism and ethnicity in the Western Balkans and intercultural communication

The Balkans have historically been referred to by many as a transition region. There has always been a policy of dissolving (assimilating) one another between the peoples who settled/placed in the Balkan lands and the existing ones. For this reason, it is possible to express that an unstable structure prevails in the historical process. However, Balkan geography, despite its unstable structure, has managed to survive even in a multicultural structure until today. The Balkan lands are located in an attractive region where the Asian, European and African continents intersect with the Eastern Mediterranean. Therefore, the changes taking place on the Balkan geography can also affect the stability structures of the nearby geographies. In this context, the Balkans, which have an important geostrategic structure, are a region that has been a fighting area between many cultures throughout history. Instead of being referred to as a geographical domain name with its characteristics, the Balkans have taken its place in the history scene as a political issue. The Balkan Peninsula has a complex ethnic mosaic, including religion, language, culture and ethnic differences. It is a special geography that has witnessed identity formations where the worlds of individuals of different beliefs intersect and at the same time identity separations. The Balkan geography was an important place because it was the spark that ignited the fuse, which was the reason for the emergence of both World Wars. With this aspect, the Balkans, which are projected to host important developments in the future, are considered to be the cradle of innovations due to the effect of globalization phenomenon. This is why Turkey must take into account regional and global power actors while establishing foreign policy strategies for the Balkans. Throughout history, language, religion, culture, ethnic pluralism and multiculturalism such as conflict and instability in the Balkans due to differences together with the end of the Cold War, disputes carried over to generation for centuries, the religion brought by the difference in clashes, big country remained under the influence of many factors such as ideologies. Tito Yugoslavia was subjected to the exploitation of the global powers, which came into competition to become “world dominant” in the international environment through the influence of the world political cyclical restructuring, which is referred to as globalization. Related abuses and ideologies have also pushed Balkan peoples into conflicts and civil wars. The aim of this study is to examine Turkish and Balkan cultures and explain the concepts of ethnic, intercultural communication and multiculturalism in the context of globalization. The main claim of the study is that the idea of creating national identities is based on the fact that the nationalist movements that emerged after the French Revolution of 1,789 increased with each passing day, shaping political relations, nurturing political ideologies and their derivative developments led to ethnic conflicts. The argument that there may be a relationship between nationalism and ethnic conflicts is the main starting point of the study. The study aims to analyze the Western Balkans from the Ottoman Empire to the present day within the framework of the concepts and theories of ethnic identity, intercultural communication and multiculturalism.

Transfer of Thrace to Greece By the Allied Powers (1920)

<p class="ql-align-justify">After World War I, the balances between the Entente States aimed at reshaping the Balkan geography in line with their political, military, economic, social and cultural concerns led to an increase in the influence of Greece in occupied Thrace. The Allied Powers, which signed the armistice of Salonica with Bulgaria and the Mudros Armistice with Turkey, primarily prepared the military infrastructure and made it easier for Greece to feel its influence in Western and Eastern Thrace. In the process of the Treaty of Sèvres, the Allied Powers gave approval for the military occupation of Thrace by Greece. Meanwhile The Allied Powers, which subsequently imposed the treaty of Neuilly on Bulgaria and the Treaty of Sèvres on Turkey, handed over Thrace to Greece officially, with certain conditions and obligations under the Treaty concerning Thrace signed at Sèvres. In this study, which aims to analyze the factors and variables affecting the transfer of Thrace to Greece by the Allied Powers which is of great importance to the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkish Straits, Black Sea and Anatolia with the Balkans. together with the British archival documents and the treaties texts, will be used. British archival documents offer a different perspective on the approaches of the Allied Powers to Thrace and their approach to the Greek operation during the Sèvres process. It is expected that the treaty texts signed with the Treaty of Sèvres and which are not mentioned much in the literature, areexpected to make a significant contribution to this study by revealing the conditions and obligations of Thrace that were transferred to Greece.

WAQF, ECONOMY AND FINANCE IN THE OTTOMAN CIVILIZATION OF THE BALKANS

Although it has inherited the whole experience of the prevailing civilizations, every civilization has its own conception on human being and society. Again, every civilization builds an institutional structure according to the conception of this human being and society. This conception is manifested both in every aspects of daily life and in the institutional structure from military to economics, from culture to politics, and from literature to financial space. Taking into account their previous experiences the Ottoman civilization in the Balkans has also been institutionalized and developed according to its conception, worldviews and values adopted in order to reach the centered people of the country and the societ. It can be said that after the Ottomans moved from Anatolia to the Balkans, they built a Waqf Civilization in Europe. With the Ottoman Balkan conquests, the obvious effects of this waqf concept affected the supplying the needs of people and societies such as cultural, religious, social, economic, commercial and financial, in the Balkan geography. The Ottoman Empire, which included the Cash waqfs (Vakf-ı Nukud) for this understanding of the foundation and its conception, played a prominent role in the institutionalization of Islamic economics and finance from the early modern times to the present times.

Medicine in Balkans during the Roman Period.

The aim of this study is to investigate the archaeological finds to enlighten the medical methods of treatments and operations applied in Balkans during Roman Period. Some independent local and regional find groups, taken from existing publications will be grouped together and a holistic point-of-view will be taken against medicine in Balkan Geography during Roman Period. Due to basic differences it contained, the data before Roman Period are excluded. Most of Greece and Aegean Islands are also excluded since the topic selected is “Medicine of Roman Period.” Greece and Aegean Islands should be evaluated in another study in connection with West Anatolia which is closer than the Balkan Geography in terms of social relations. The spread of medical tools in Balkans during Roman Period is concentrated around military garrisons, and in settlements built around military pathways, and in settlements containing an amphitheater associated with gladiators. This spread is verified by the studies on Bulgaria in general. The data is also compatible with the assertion suggesting that the amount of application of pharmaceutical treatment increases when one moves away from the military centres.

The Turkish Connection: Neo-Ottoman Influence in Post-Dayton Bosnia

Bosnia has been defined by its perpetual state of transition—politically, culturally, and socially—since it seceded from Yugoslavia in 1992. The country's Balkan geography renders it both East and West, and its cultural affinities straddle the two poles as well. Hence, the country is in perpetual liminality, tugged by the influences of both Western and Eastern nations and organizations. This has particularly been true for the Bosniak population, a group that has received support from various Muslim-majority nations and organizations. Prominent among those influences is Turkey, which resonates with Bosniaks because their history and identity are intertwined with the Turkish Ottoman past. The emergence of Neo-Ottomanism links Bosnia to Turkey's past and future; this phenomenon is paving the way for a Bosnia that is increasingly being defined by its slight Muslim-majority population and culture. In “The Turkish Connection: Neo-Ottoman Influence in Post-Dayton Bosnia,” I situate contemporary Bosnian cultural products, including film and literature, as responses or interactions with Neo-Ottoman modes that seek to (re)imagine the Balkans and specifically Bosnia, through the lens of the “golden age” of sixteenth-century Ottoman Empire.

Kosova’da Yeniden Yapılandırma Çalışmaları Kapsamında Bugünkü Durum

Kosovo won her independence subsequent to internal state conflicts came to an end in the Balkan geography after the Cold War. Based on a structure of ethnic and religious majority, it is a situation that not only affects Kosovo itself but also the stability of the region as a whole. After the disintegration of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1991, the Albanian and Serbian intransigence between 1998 and 1999, and as a result of the clashes that subsequently took place due to this intransigence dealt a political and economic blow to this country, which at the pinnacle of ethnic nationalism, entered a new phase after the end of the conflict with the intervention of the international community and in particular NATO. After NATO’s intervention on 24 March 1999, the country began to be administered by the international community through the UN Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) in accordance with the UN Security Council’s Resolution No. 1244 of June 1999. Again in line with the resolution adopted by the UN, a Peace Keeping Force was deployed under NATO command that continues to this day. In accordance with Resolution No. 1244, the country emerged as a separate entity if not officially but de facto from the Serbia and Montenegro Federation. The theoretical framework of the Restructuring Model of the Kosovo State embodied and sustained by the international community; its realization and application in Kosovo proper; its status after twelve years; the provision of peace and stability that forms the basis of this model as well as the point reached and its future in the process of integrating with the international community are the main topics of this article. However, while undertaking these issues, the basic deadlocks and questions regarding the construction stage that is being attempted and the point reached today by this administrative model set by the international community in the 21st century will also be considered. In undertaking this analysis, the point of departure will be based on the thesis that success will be difficult in attaining peace and stability and its continuity that is within the coverage of this Reconstruction Model and implemented within Kosovo proper, due to the ethnic nationalism existing in the country.

Balkan Geography and the De-Orientalization of Freud

The invention of the Balkans as Europe's subaltern pre-dates Freud, but he established future justification for curing the Balkans from its "Oriental Yoke." During a trip to the Balkans in the spring and summer of 1898, at the peak of his self-analysis, Freud encountered his repressed sexuality, but his forbidden desire helped him to craft the theory of the "unconscious." On the one hand, Freud relies on the Balkan subaltern and its potent libidinal force to challenge established sexual dogma and the morality of the European bourgeoisie; on the other hand, he declares the Balkans a dangerous zone—pathological, anal, "archaic," and in need of Oedipalization. During his visit to the Acropolis in 1904, Freud had a brief glimpse into Western colonial geography and Orientalism as its constitutive bias, but he failed to develop a proper response to it since he had regarded Orientalism to be part of being civilized and European.

The Findings Upon the Designation of Turkish Words Among Balkan Languages

The presence of the Turks in the geography of Balkans can be track back to the centuries before Ottomans. The actual impact of the Turkish language and culture began with the start of Ottoman conquests. With the Ottoman conquest, there have been great changes on the structure of the Balkan communities. As a result of this comprehensive and large impact, thousands of Turkish words entered into the Balkanic Languages. The quantity of Turkish words, their effect of the Balkanic Cultures and Languages have directed the researchers to search these words. The researchers who investigated the Turkish words in the Balkanic Languages faced a fundamental problem. The main problem that the researchers faced was the issue of designation of these words in question. Due to the appearance of the words of Arabic and Persian origin along with Turkish, some researchers have applied the term ―Orientalism‖ for these words in question. Since the vast majority of words in the Balkanic Languages are Turkish, the researchers, considering the fact that Arabic and Persian words entered into the Balkanic Languages through Turkish, have preferred the concept ―Turkism‖ for these words. Researchers, without making a detailed evaluation on either ―Orientalism‖ or ―Turkism,‖ have stated their more general preferences. However, the designation issue of these words, which have such effect on the Balkanic Languages and their numbers getting closer to ten thousand in some languages, requires a detailed analysis in order to formulate an opinion. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the words in question in terms of grammatical, cultural and historical process and to contribute to the issue of designating through Ottoman institutions and community life. Within the scope of this study, the emphasis is given, in addition to all the Balkanic Languages, on the Bosnian-Serbian-Croatian and Albanian Languages where Turkish words are dominantly present.

Osmanlı Dönemi Balkan Tarihine Dair Önemli Bir Kaynak: Derdest Defterleri

Derdest registers form one of the notebook series which bear important information about the Ottoman timar system (manorialism). In these notebooks, types of dirlik (fief), places that made up dirlik income, and their incomes, names of the owners of dirlik, their professions/characteristic, the number of the share they held, dates of charter, and even photographic appearances (pictures) according to the conditions of the period were placed. This group of notebook contains precious information concerning the regions, especially Balkan geography, in which the timar system was practiced. In this article, the importance and source value of Derdest registers in the sample of Vilcitrin notebook, numbered 489, has been evaluated. Thus, this study aims to reveal the importance of a source group which has scarcely been analyzed and in a way to contribute to the Ottoman period Balkan studies.

Balkan Geography and Politics

Balkan Geography and Politics

Balkan Geography and Balkan Railways: Discussion

Balkan Geography and Balkan Railways: Discussion

Balkan Geography and Balkan Railways

Balkan Geography and Balkan Railways