On Thursday, May 7, 2026, the IUS Turkish Language Teaching (TLT) study program organized the sixth edition of the Turkology Talks series, bringing together academics, researchers, and students interested in Turkic history, culture, and identity.
The lecture, delivered by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Erkan Karagöz, faculty member of the TLT study program, was titled “The Formation of the Northern Turks (Tatars and Bashkirs) and the Process of Making the Idel-Ural Homeland: Between Historical Facts and Mythic Narratives.”
During the lecture, participants had the opportunity to explore the historical development of the Northern Turks, particularly the Tatars and Bashkirs, through a rich discussion that combined historical analysis with mythic and oral traditions. Special attention was given to the early roots of these communities and the legacy of the Volga Bulgars, whose role in the ethnogenesis of the region’s peoples was highlighted as an important part of Turkish history.
The lecture also addressed key historical milestones, including the official adoption of Islam by the Volga Bulgar State in 922, as well as later political and cultural transformations in the Idel-Ural region. Alongside these historical developments, the audience was introduced to a number of legends and symbolic narratives that continue to shape the collective memory and cultural identity of the Tatar and Bashkir peoples.
Particular emphasis was placed on the ways in which history and mythology intertwine, from stories surrounding the origin of names and places to the remembrance of legendary figures, heroes, and resistance movements. In this context, the lecture shed light on how oral tradition has preserved the values, struggles, and historical consciousness of the region across centuries.
The program also touched upon later historical developments, including freedom movements, political transformations, and the changing status of the Tatar and Bashkir peoples from the imperial and Soviet periods to the present day.
