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Corresponding Author

Alpay Aydoğdu

Document Type

Original Study

Keywords

Turkish Hearths, National Identity, Physical Education and Sports, Social Construction, Turkish Ideology.

Abstract

Turkish Hearths played an important role in the institutionalisation of Turkish nationalism in the final years of the Ottoman Empire and the early years of the Republic. The process began with the establishment of the Turkish Association in 1908, the Turkish Homeland Society in 1911, and the Turkish Power Society in 1913, and was strengthened with the establishment of the Turkish Ocağı. Turkish Hearths focused on sports activities with the aim of supporting the physical and mental development of Turkish youth, reviving national consciousness, and ensuring social unity. Sports branches operating in seven geographical regions promoted sports suitable for the genetic predispositions of the local people, taking into account regional differences. In Southeast Anatolia, football and hunting; in Eastern Anatolia, wrestling and gymnastics; in the Mediterranean, wrestling and football; in Central Anatolia, horse racing and javelin; in the Black Sea, football and boxing; in Marmara, scouting and volleyball; and in the Aegean, wrestling and football have come to the fore. Sports served as a tool for spreading Turkish nationalism, in addition to promoting physical fitness, and the events organised in Diyarbakır, Erzurum, Adana, İzmir, and Samsun had a significant social impact. However, financial constraints limited activities in some branches. The Turkish Cultural Associations viewed sports as a fundamental element of national identity and social integration.

Receive Date

17 December 2025

Accept Date

22 February 2026

Publication Date

3-31-2026

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