The ethnocultural and sociological analysis of migrations documented in Shajara-i Tarākima (Turkmen genealogy)

This study examines the migrations documented in Shajara-i Tarākima, a 17th-century Turkmen genealogical text, using an ethnocultural and sociological approach. It analyzes the reasons behind these migrations, their outcomes, and the integration strategies employed by the Turkmen. The findings reveal that migrations were primarily driven by concerns for life and property, often due to political pressures, economic hardships, criminal activities, warfare, and internal disturbances. Turkmen migrations were generally characterized by an intent to settle permanently. The study further suggests that their integration strategies involved a complex blend of selective inclusion and multicultural models, demonstrating a preference for integration over assimilation, and segregation over multiculturalism or melting pot approaches when interacting with other groups.

Hayrullah Kahya