Authors

Aygul Hajiyeva/Akhundova¹;  ¹ Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, Azerbaidjan

Discussion

Since the 17th century, the teaching of Turkic languages across regions inhabited by Turkic peoples has been influenced by diverse educational systems. Initially, a practical interest in lexicography emerged, reflecting a need for dictionaries. Europeans’ study of Ottoman Turks, Caucasus Turks, Siberian, and Central Asian Turks was largely driven by the interests of major empires and states. Despite internal contradictions, Turkology developed and achieved notable progress, with significant advancements in studying the expansive geography and diverse cultures of Turkic peoples.
The restoration of independence by Turkic nations after the Soviet Union's dissolution introduced a spirit of autonomy into Turcology, where scholars began to engage with new issues within the field. New challenges gave a push to the evaluation of Turcology from lexicographic necessity to an independent field of scholarship enriching it not only politically, but also academically.
This presentation explores Turkic-speaking peoples' longstanding interest in each other's languages, literature, history, and culture. It traces the study of these interconnections and historical interest from the late 19th century and examines how such studies expanded significantly in the 20th century.