Title: Karşılaştırmalı Edebiyat Tarihine Genel Bir Bakış ve Türkiye’de Karşılaştırmalı Edebiyat Çalışmalarının Son Durumu
Abstract: This study mainly focuses on the current state of the Comparative Literature studies in Turkey, first giving an overall summary of the translation studies both in the Tanzimat Period of the Ottoman Empire and in the Republican Period which formed the basis for the birth of Comparative Literature. Tanzimat Period becomes the starting point in the interaction process between Turkish and especially French literature. Another important development occurs in 1940s, which is the systematic translation of well-known French classics into Turkish. During the 1950s and 1960s Comparative Literature is only given as a course in the departments of philology in İstanbul and Ankara Universities. Then, Comparative Literature departments start to be founded in universities in 1990s, followed by the opening of MA and PhD programs. Besides this, some publications starting from 1943 contribute to the institutionalisation of Comparative Literature, as well. Another significant development for the field is the Comparative Literature symposiums held in Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University between 1995-1998, which are followed by international Comparative Literature congresses later. While dwelling on the promising improvements in the field of Comparative Literature in Turkey mostly, the study also points out to some problematic points which hinder and decelerate the development of the field. Thus, what is new about this study is that, although it rephrases what has already been said so far, to some extent, it updates the literature by adding the most recent developments in the field of Comparative Literature.