Teaching Turkic Peoples' History in the Post-Soviet Era: An Analytical Examination of Transformations from the 1990s to the Present

Abstract

The dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991 marked a series of significant developments in the history of the Turkic peoples. The restoration of state independence led to profound transformations in many spheres of public and political life, including the field of education. One of the most notable changes was the introduction of “History of the Turkic Peoples” as an academic discipline. In this regard, 1991 may be regarded not only as the year of the restoration of state independence but also as the starting point for the reconstruction of the historical memory of the Turkic peoples.
Although the initial years of teaching the History of the Turkic Peoples were accompanied by a number of challenges, instructors of the subject, in cooperation with scholars and researchers in the field, succeeded in carrying out important initiatives aimed at its development. Nevertheless, despite the progress achieved, a number of shortcomings and unresolved issues continue to persist even today.
Against this background, the present article examines the current state of teaching the History of the Turkic Peoples through the framework of SWOT analysis. It analyzes the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats associated with the discipline, while also exploring the underlying causes of existing challenges and future prospects from a scholarly and pedagogical perspective. It should be particularly noted that the authors were direct participants in the processes discussed and possess extensive experience in the field of teaching Turkic history. This enables them to provide not merely a theoretical assessment but also a comprehensive and practice-oriented analysis of the issues under consideration.
The findings of the study may contribute to the improvement of curriculum design, teaching methodologies, and educational policy related to the teaching of the History of the Turkic Peoples in higher education institutions