Inside India, Outside of Kemalism: Analysis of Halide Edib’s Writings on Anti-Colonialism
Alparslan Nas

Abstract
This paper aims to analyze the significance of Halide Edib’s works that she wrote during self-imposed exile. Edib (1882-1964) is a female scholar who took important role in the Turkish War of Independence after the First World War (1914-1918). She had gained nation-wide recognition as a novelist. After the foundation of the republic in 1923, Edib got disillusioned with Kemalist regime and went to Britain for self-imposed exile. Throughout 1930s, she made frequent visits to India where she had the opportunity to closely monitor the anti-colonial resistance led by Gandhi. Edib published three books during this period, “Turkey Faces West”, “Inside India” and “Conflict of East and West in Turkey” where she compared Indian experience of decolonization with Turkish experience. This paper engages to a critical analysis of her writings, pointing at Edib’s unique position as anti-colonial activist and critique of Kemalism.

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