Mapping Turkish Literary Culture in Communist Bulgaria (1944–1969): Institutional Frameworks, Printed Press, and Publications.

This article examines the development of Turkish literary culture in communist Bulgaria from 1944 to 1969, focusing on its institutional frameworks, printed press, and publications within the broader Cold War context. It highlights the emergence of a distinct Turkish literary culture supported by state-controlled publishing, particularly through the publishing house Narodna Prosveta, which produced nearly one thousand Turkish-language books, including 113 original works by Bulgarian-born Turkish authors. The study proposes a transnational theoretical approach, situating this literature within the Bulgarian literary space, the Balkan literary zone, and the concept of Rumelian Turkish literature, emphasizing its complex interactions with Turkish, Bulgarian, Soviet, and Azerbaijani literary traditions. The article argues that Turkish literary culture in Bulgaria should be regarded not merely as minority literature but as a significant comparative field for Turkish, Bulgarian, Balkan, and Cold War studies, reflecting socialist modernization and cultural policies that shaped its themes, genres, and language use.