The intellectual's dilemma : the writings of Ahmet RÄ±za and Mehmet Sabahettin on reform and the future of the Ottoman Empire
This dissertation explores the intellectual development of two leading members of the Young Turk organisation during its early phase - that is, the period before the organisation turned into the militarist nationalist group that carried out the 1908 Revolution and ruled Turkey until the end of WW1. The thesis argues that the two intellectual activists, Ahmet Riza and Mehmet Sabahettin, have been central figures in the theoretical emergence of an Ottoman synthesis, which responded to the geopolitics of the empire and aspired to provide an intellectual bridge between the Empire and Europe. My main object of analysis are Young Turk journals published mainly in France between 1890s and 1907, of which Riza and Sabahettin were editors or contributors, as well as the thematic volumes they authored. I contend that an understanding of the arguments put forward by these activists is crucial in constructing a more accurate picture of the historical continuum between nineteenthand twentieth-century Ottoman/Turkish politics. This new picture enriches the narrative of a Kemalist debate on modernity as rupture with the Empire's past and confronts nationalist frames of looking at the Ottoman past that have been very prevalent
Taglia, Stefano
The intellectual's dilemma : the writings of Ahmet RÄ±za and Mehmet Sabahettin on reform and the future of the Ottoman Empire. This dissertation explores the intellectual development of two leading members of the Young Turk organisation during its early phase - that is, the period before the organisation turned into the militarist nationalist group that carried out the 1908 Revolution and ruled Turkey until the end of WW1. The thesis argues that the two intellectual activists, Ahmet Riza and Mehmet Sabahettin, have been central figures in the theoretical emergence of an Ottoman synthesis, which responded to the geopolitics of the empire and aspired to provide an intellectual bridge between the Empire and Europe. My main object of analysis are Young Turk journals published mainly in France between 1890s and 1907, of which Riza and Sabahettin were editors or contributors, as well as the thematic volumes they authored. I contend that an understanding of the arguments put forward by these activists is crucial in constructing a more accurate picture of the historical continuum between nineteenthand twentieth-century Ottoman/Turkish politics. This new picture enriches the narrative of a Kemalist debate on modernity as rupture with the Empire's past and confronts nationalist frames of looking at the Ottoman past that have been very prevalent
intellectual dilemma writing reform future ottoman_empire explore intellectual development lead_member young organisation early_phase period organisation turn nationalist group carry revolution rule turkey end argues intellectual activist central figure theoretical emergence ottoman synthesis respond geopolitics empire aspire provide intellectual bridge empire europe main object analysis young journal publish mainly france editor contributor well thematic volume author contend argument_put forward activists crucial construct accurate_picture historical continuum twentieth_century ottoman turkish politics new picture enrich narrative debate modernity rupture empire past confronts nationalist frame look ottoman past prevalent