Issue 94 · Summer 2020

Dear readers,

We are pleased to bring the new issue of bilig to you. We believe that you will read ten distinguished articles with interest which are compiled from history, sociology, literature, international relations, economics, language and education disciplines. There are numerous articles sent to bilig regarding the effects of the virus on different areas during these days when the world went through an extraordinary period due to the Covid-19 pandemic. As the Editorial Board, we have taken a decision on holding articles regarding Covid-19 for a while without taking them into the evaluation process. Because, we are of the opinion that reliable data that will scientifically reveal the causes and effects of this global crisis are not yet adequately generated. We believe that our authors will be tolerant of this attitude of ours.

There was a handover for the post of the Presidency of Board of Trustees of Akhmet Yassawi University in May. Prof. Dr. Muhittin Yıldız, who held the presidency of the Board of Trustees for five years successfully, handed over the administration to Prof. Dr. Muhittin Şimşek. As bilig Editorial Board,we present our gratitude to Prof. Dr. Musa Yıldız for his unique contributions to bilig’s quality improvement during his tenure.One of the basic criteria for the academic promotion and assignment in Turkey is the publication reqirement in journals that are scanned by the SSCI. However, the number of the journals in social sciences in Turkey that has this quality is rather low. As such, there is an excessive flow of articles to bilig. In this occasion, the editorial board of bilig resists this burden with its transparent working method that makes no compromise objectivity and scientificness. Provided by the Board of Trustees to the editorial board, the free working environment, which does not allow for external intervention is one of the most valuable contributions in strengthening bilig’s position in the indexes. bilig, which will complete its 25th year and publish its 100th issue in 2021, will proceed on its way with the same understanding in the new period. We offer our thanks and wish success in his new position to our President of the Board of Trustees, Prof. Dr. Muhittin Şimşek, who expresses his sensitivity on this issue and his unlimited support for the work of our editorial board.

We would like to share with you a glad news about the increase in bilig’s impact factor. bilig, indexed in the Area Studies field at the Social Science Citation Index (SSCI), which is part of Clarivate Analytics, is strengthening its position in this index every year. The data released by the Web of Science Journal Citation Reports (JCR) in June 2020 indicate that the impact factor of bilig, Journal of Social Sciences of the Turkic World, continues to increase steadily.

JCR evaluation years bilig impact factor

The impact factor of 48 of 57 journals that are stated in the related report and addressing Turkey increased compared to the previous year while 9 of them decreased. The fact that our journal is among the highestgrowing journals with an increase impact factor of 66% is the result of a meticulous team work from our authors to our referees, from the secretariat to the editorial board members. We congratulate everyone who contributed.

We wish our new issue will be of use and we offer our respects.

Prof. Dr. Fırat Purtaş

Editor in Chief