Pluralism as Legacy: Exile and the Making of Future Citizens in Young Turk

Year 2026, Issue: 5, 1 - 10, 26.01.2026

Evren Akaltun Akan

https://izlik.org/JA53JJ64MU

Abstract

This article examines Young Turk (2004), Moris Farhi’s semi-autobiographical novel, which reimagines the term “Young Turk” as a symbol of pluralistic and cosmopolitan ideals for future generations. Through thirteen interwoven narratives, Farhi constructs a polyphonic bildungsroman in which young narrators confront exile, national identity, and political oppression. The novel depicts Türkiye as a diverse, multi-ethnic society, while addressing the realities of minority persecution and political repression. Central to the story is Ahmet Poyraz, a mentor figure who embodies an intellectual commitment to pluralism and resistance to nationalist homogenization. Farhi’s vision of Turkishness transcends fixed identity categories, suggesting a form of worldliness shaped by displacement and historical rupture. Engaging with Edward Said and Hannah Arendt on exile and cosmopolitanism, this study situates Young Turk within broader discussions in world literature, particularly regarding ethical and aesthetic responses to marginalization. Ultimately, as this article shows, the novel offers a collective and generational bildungsroman—one that imagines the future “Young Turks” as guardians of coexistence, critical memory, and global citizenship.

Keywords

Moris Farhi , Young Turk , exile , worldliness , minority literature , cosmopolitanism , Turkishness , bildungsroman

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