The Shot Turkology, as original Turkish name is Kurşunlanan Türkoloji, is a comprehensive publication prepared as a result of academic research conducted by Prof. Dr. Ahmet Buran. The work, consisting of 560 pages, was published by Akçağ Yayınları. The book describes the global journey of Turkology science and the pressure and persecutions faced by intellectuals and scientists working in this field, in light of scientific documents.
Book Cover Image (Akçağ Yayınları Website)
The book consists of a foreword, two main chapters, and a bibliography.
The author explained in the foreword why he undertook such a work by stating: “With this work, we have tried to fulfill our conscientious duty and responsibility towards the people who experienced dramatic and tragic events that no member of any scientific branch in the world has ever experienced, and who served Turkology at the cost of their lives.” 【1】
The first chapter of the book is titled "Tunnel of Fear". This chapter begins by narrating the general and brief history of exile, oppression, and genocide suffered by Turks in the 20th century. The author described the historical realities experienced in the Balkans, Islands, Soviet Union, East Turkestan, Iraq, Iran, and Türkiye.
The Second Chapter is titled "The Shot Turkology - The Genocide of Our Language and Science" . This chapter describes the emergence of Oriental Studies and Turkology, and the 1926 Baku Turkology Congress, which is considered a turning point in Turkology history, is examined. Poets, writers, and Turkologists who were punished as a result of the Congress are categorized as Soviet Union, China, and Türkiye, and detailed information about them is provided.
Additionally, efforts to fragment Turkish unity with artificial languages are examined in detail, and extrajudicial executions that claimed the lives of thousands of Turkish intellectuals through the “Repressiya” policy implemented during the Stalin era are conveyed with documents. The contributions to Turkology made by scientists who sought refuge in Türkiye, fleeing Soviet oppression, such as Reşit Rahmeti Arat, Zeki Velidi Togan, Ahmet Caferoğlu, Abdulkadir İnan, Ayaz İshaki, Sadri Maksudi (Arsal), Ahmet Temir, are examined.
The Shot Turkology is a comprehensive and academic work that analyzes the exile, oppression, and genocide in the Turkish world, and narrates the life stories of many intellectuals from the Turkish world who were punished, exiled, and massacred merely for researching Turkish culture.
