This course focuses on the Ottoman Empire from its origins in the 14th century to its dissolution in the aftermath of World War I. We will explore the major socio-economic, political and cultural institutions of the Empire and how they changed over time. Topics include but are not limited to political, military and economic institutions, the role of women, inter-communal relations and wars. At the end of the term, we aim to have a sound grasp of how the Ottoman Empire emerged as a small chiefdom and transformed itself into a world empire that ruled for six centuries over different ethnic and religious populations in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
Class size limit: 150.
Suggest Reading:
Nilay Ozok-Gundogan, “The Ottoman Empire,” The Encyclopedia of Empire (The Wiley-Blackwell, 2015).
“Turkey's gift of a mosque sparks fears of ‘neo-Ottomanism’ in Kosovo,” https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/jan/02/turkey-is-kosovo-controversy-over-balkan-states-new-central-mosque
Nick Danforth, “Turkey’s New Maps Are Reclaiming the Ottoman Empire,” https://foreignpolicy.com/2016/10/23/turkeys-religious-nationalists-want-ottoman-borders-iraq-erdogan/
