Abstract
CHANGING CONCEPTS WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE SYMBOLIC POLICY OF MUSTAFA KEMAL ATATÜRK: AN EXAMPLE OF THE NATIONAL SECRET
Symbolic politics is a public activity aimed at creating and promoting different ways of understanding social reality and fighting to make them dominant. Mustafa Kemal, the person who implemented this policy during and after the Liberation War in Turkey, skillfully utilized symbolic elements in his Nutuk Speech, establishing it as a significant source for research in this field. Nutuk not only serves as a valuable resource for understanding the transition from the Ottoman Empire to the Turkish Republic, but also exemplifies the power of symbolic politics in shaping discourses and influencing the world. The most important example to analyze in Nutuk is the concept of the “National secret”, which highlights how Atatürk combined diverse ideas within the framework of his symbolic policy and utilized creative interpretive ability to maintain his charismatic leadership. This research delves into how Atatürk effectively conveyed messages through Nutuk, who his intended audience was, and how the “national secret” became a crucial concept in his symbolic politics. In Nutuk, Mustafa Kemal incorporates a wide range of ideas, including religious symbols, in a manner that resonates with society’s approved symbols. This strategic approach, essential for a successful leader, enables Mustafa Kemal to create a symbolic image of himself. Atatürk’s Nutuk shapes societal direction, social values, and standards by interpreting historical events, providing explanations to identify friends and enemies, and, most importantly, constructing the identity for republican Turkey.
Keywords
Atatürk, Nutuk, Turkey, Nation, Symbolic Policy
