THE DISCURSIVE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TURKISH IDENTITY IN BULGARIA DURING THE EU MEMBERSHIP PROCESS (1989 -2013)

Having a heterogeneous ethnic structure as a heritage of the Ottoman dominance, Bulgaria tried to assimilate itsTurkish minority in order to create an ethnically homogenous nation. This study problematizes the ethnic identity, national identity and supra-national identity relations of theTurkish minority, which achieved political mobilization after the collapse of the totaliterian regime in 1989. This study argues that political elites reconstruct the patterns between the ethnic identity, national identity and European identity by conducting a continuous discursive negotiation. The study analyzes the collective identity patterns at the group level produced by the Turkish political elites from the constructivist perspective by applying thediscourse-historical approach. This research has revealed that theTurkish elites "seek an agreement between the poles of the ethnic identity and civic identity" by constructing such topics as multiple identities that can be developed by the members of the minority, peaceful collective history, collective future in Europe, a multiethnic civic nation based on European values