Ihsan Hilmi Alantar and Child Welfare in Early Republican Türkiye

Abstract

The late 19th and early 20th centuries witnessed an unprecedented global spread of the desire for healthy and large populations in modern nation-states. This desire was associated with the principle of patriotism and integrated into health policies. An obsession with increasing the vitality of the social and political body was influential in shaping these health policies. Simultaneously, this period also witnessed the dissemination and adoption of scientific concepts and discourses such as child welfare, eugenics, child culture and hygiene. In the young Republic of Türkiye, founded after a devastating ten-year war and grappling with concerns about population growth, these discourses were swiftly embraced and became part of the ''scientific'' literature. These discourses were advocated mainly by a cadre of elitist Republicans who aimed to position Türkiye among modern nations. Among these elites was İhsan Hilmi Alantar, who opened Türkiye's first children's clinic. This article delves into Alantar's views, endeavours, and actions in the realm of child welfare, set against the backdrop of the historical milieu of the era.