Aziz Nazmi Shakir

Aziz Nazmi Shakir, a Lecturer at the New Bulgarian University's Mediterranean and Oriental Studies department, is a scholar specializing in Arabic Studies, Ottoman History, and Islamic Cultural Heritage. Holding a PhD in History of Science from Istanbul University (2004), he has taught at Sabanci University (2001–2021), Bosphorus University (2004–2012), and the Higher Islamic Institute in Sofia (2005–2012).

• Education:
  • PhD in History of Science (Istanbul University, 2004)
  • MA in Arabic Studies (Sofia University, 1997)
  • Languages: Arabic, Turkish, Ottoman, English, Russian, Persian, German

His research focuses on Ottoman cultural and linguistic legacy in the Balkans, Arabic-Turkish literary interaction, and Islamic epigraphy in the Eastern Rhodopes. He explores how multilingual education bridges Semitic, Turkic, and Indo-European languages.

His 15 most recent publications (2016–2021) examine Ottoman historical topography, Islamic epigraphy, and contemporary Muslim integration in Europe. Key themes include language evolution, cultural memory, and post-Communist identity.

• Scientific Awards:
  • 1993 Award for Best Poetry Collection ("Повод за небе")

As a literary translator, he has rendered Turkish and Arabic works into Bulgarian, including Ahmed Hilmi's "Amak-ı Hayal" and Mahmoud Darwish's "In the Presence of Absence". He regularly participates in international symposia on Ottoman legacy and Islamic culture.