Ethnic Appropriation of Folk Narratives and Architecture in the Post-Ottoman Balkans

Nationalist movements in the Balkans appropriated Ottoman architectural heritage, including the Selimiye Mosque, by reinterpreting local folk narratives about master builders. These narratives, resembling the myth of Icarus, became tools for ethnic identity formation during interstate tensions in Thrace (1930s–1940s). The study reveals how transnational debates over these stories clashed with nationalist syncretism, exposing tensions between cultural continuity and national identity construction. Analyzing archival records and historical discourse, the research demonstrates the political instrumentalization of folklore in post-Ottoman heritage politics.

Sezgin, A. (2025). Ethnic Appropriation of Folk Narratives and Architecture in the Post-Ottoman Balkans. Balkan Araştırma Enstitüsü Dergisi, 14(1), 213–249. https://doi.org/10.30903/baed.1723226