Ziya Gökalp was a prominent Turkish sociologist, writer, and political activist born in 1876. He played a significant role in the Turkish nationalist movement during the early 20th century. Gökalp's ideas focused on the importance of Turkish culture and identity, advocating for a modernized and unified Turkey. He is best known for his contributions to Turkish literature and his theories on Turkism, which emphasized the need for a national consciousness among the Turkish people. Gökalp's work laid the foundation for many cultural and political reforms in Turkey following the fall of the Ottoman Empire.