Translating the concept of <i>nationalism</i>: A general approach on the discourse of natianalism in Turkish

Abstract

The aim of the present paper is to discuss the translation of the concept of nationalism and to explore the possibilities of importing methods from Begriffsgeschichte [history of concepts] to be applied in researches focusing on the translation of this concept within Translation Studies. Begriffsgeschichte was a reaction to classical research in social history and became an autonomous field therein. The paper will first introduce the history of this discipline with its main concerns. Thereafter, the paper will discuss how methods and approaches from Begriffsgeschichte can be made useful for theoretical as well as methodological questions regarding the translations of concepts in Translation Studies. This paper is based on the assumption that studies in the translation of concepts in Turkey will contribute to discussions on the importation of Western models of thought during the modernization process in Turkey.