Ziya Gökalp as a Turkish Thinker: A Study on His Life, Personality, and Philosophy.Born March 23, 1876 in Diyarbakýr, Ziya Gökalp is one of the most prominent figures in the historyof Turkish philosophy, culture and politics. Living in a period of transition from an Empire to aNation-State, sociological, cultural and political theories and assessments made by Gökalp aboutthe Turkish society and Turkish culture under the influence of problems and troubles encounteredstill maintain their currency and validity. This is because many of Gökalp’s political, religious andcultural ideas and suggestions have been realized with the newly established Republic. There is nodoubt that Western perceptions were also influential on Gökalp’s such social approaches