CETOBAC examines the past and present situations of Turkish speaking people throughout the geographical area of Turkey, the regions that once formed part of the Ottoman Empire, and Central Asia.

The Center's work concerns not only this population group but also their relationships with their neighbours, and social, cultural and political questions. For certain research questons, the Center extends its reach towards the east to include Iran, Afghanistan and China, and, to the west, towards Central and Eastern Europe.

The Center brings together historians, sociologists, anthropologists, geographers, linguists and political scientists.

The Center has 6 research areas: History of the Ottoman Empire; Contemporary Turkey; Balkans in the Contemporary Period; Central Asia and the Caucasus; Languages, Culture and Societies in the Turkish region; and, Islam and Sufism.