The Politics of Memory and Aspects of Collective Identity Formation in the Ethno-Consciousness of Georgian Communities in Turkey

Abstract

The study examines the literary life of Georgian Muhajirs who emigrated to Turkey. Under Ottoman and later Turkish rule, the Georgian language became the sole marker of national identity, while literature functioned as a space of cultural memory. Through literary activity, Georgian communities in Turkey sought to create a shared cultural context for Georgians on both sides of the border, with translation playing a particularly important role. By translating canonical Georgian authors, Muhajirs reinforced cultural con­tinuity. The study also situates Muhajirism as a historical trauma and explores the cultural practices through which this trauma has been processed and continues to be reinterpreted.