Kemalism radically differentiates itself from the previous Ottomanism and Islamism movements in terms of who the nation is. It also ideologically transforms the concept of Turkism from the Ottoman period and places it on the basis of the new secular republic. The understanding of Kemalist nationalism is not expansionist and irredentist. It does not have Turanist or Pan-Turkist aims. Within the national borders it has got homogeneous and anti-pluralist nature. The aim of Kemalism is to build a modern society and the state. But the existing social and political structure is not suitable for this purpose. For this reason, Kemalists first of all try to design society and the state through economic, cultural and legal regulations. This is a kind of social engineering attempt. At this point, nationalism in the modernization project of Kemalism serves the purpose of forming a homogeneous socio-cultural structure with a secular basis.