From Religious to Ethnic Minorities: The Cultural and Social Integration of Pomaks into Post-Ottoman Turkey

This article traces the cultural and social integration of Pomaks into post-Ottoman Turkey controversy over their ‘Turkishness’. Current scholarship on early republican nationalism is particularly interested in importance imperial legacy nation-building republic period. Scholars discuss that Ottoman millet system was vital to formation Turkish identity because elites continued accept Muslim immigrants from Balkans due Islamic background. A closer analysis primary sources with a focus Pomak-speaking immigrants, however, reveals not only challenges assimilation posed for government but also competing versions Turkishness within intellectual political circles. argues complex understanding relations between immigration nationalism, which shows public acceptance as Turks depended domestic factors, such linguistic security concerns.