THE HISTORICAL AND SOCIOLOGICAL CONSTRUCTION OF TURKISH THOUGHT: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS THROUGH HİLMİ ZIYA ULKEN AND ZIYA GOKALP

This study examines two foundational works of Turkish intellectual history, The History of Turkish Thought by Hilmi Ziya Ülken and The History of Turkish Civilization by Ziya Gökalp, through a comparative and interdisciplinary perspective. Rather than merely juxtaposing the ideas of these two thinkers, the research analytically explores their methodological approaches, conceptual frameworks, and interpretations of the Turkish intellectual tradition. In this context, Ülken’s epistemological and philosophical approach—emphasizing historical continuity and intellectual structures—is evaluated alongside Gökalp’s sociological and cultural analyses, which focus on social organization, collective consciousness, the distinction between culture and civilization, and the construction of national identity. While Ülken situates Turkish thought within the broader context of universal philosophy, Gökalp offers a more systematic sociological framework grounded in cultural and societal dynamics. The study also comparatively analyzes both thinkers’ approaches to modernization, Westernization, and national identity debates. It argues that Turkish thought should not be considered merely as a chronological sequence of ideas, but rather as a multilayered system shaped by the interplay of social structures, cultural dynamics, historical ruptures, and civilizational visions. Ultimately, this research demonstrates that philosophical and sociological approaches are complementary in understanding Turkish intellectual history, and that integrating these perspectives enables a more comprehensive and in-depth analysis.