Moral Crisis in the Ottoman Empire: Society, Politics, and Gender during WWI

This book explores how the Ottoman Empire's moral crisis played a significant role in the dramatic events of the last years of the empire, particularly during World War I. It examines primary journals and printed sources to understand the various constituencies and ideologies of the period and their impact on the empire's decline.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 248 pages
Publication date: 29 December 2022
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

The perceived morality crisis played a significant role in the dramatic events of the last years of the Ottoman Empire. This book explores the transformation of social, economic, and political issues during World War I into a discourse of moral decline. It examines the primary journals and printed sources that represented the various constituencies of the period, filling important gaps in the scholarship of the Ottoman experience of World War I and the origins of Islamism and secularism in Turkey. This book is essential reading for social and intellectual historians of the late Ottoman Empire.

The late nineteenth century saw a shift among some Ottoman elites, who began to question the moral climate as a contributing factor to the empire's struggles. This perception of moral decline became a central theme in the discourse surrounding the empire during World War I. The war brought about numerous social, economic, and political challenges, which were often interpreted as evidence of the empire's moral decline.

As the war progressed, the moral crisis intensified, and it became a contested space between rival ideologies, identities, and intellectual currents. Different groups within the Ottoman Empire sought to define their moral values and defend them against perceived threats. This led to the emergence of new political movements, such as Islamism and secularism, which competed for influence and control over the empire.

The primary journals and printed sources of the period provide valuable insights into the various constituencies of the late Ottoman Empire and their perspectives on the moral crisis. These sources include newspapers, magazines, and scholarly publications that represented different social classes, religious groups, and political factions. By examining these sources, scholars can gain a better understanding of the complex dynamics that shaped the Ottoman Empire's final years and the origins of Islamism and secularism in Turkey.

The perceived morality crisis played a significant role in the dramatic events of the last years of the Ottoman Empire. It transformed social, economic, and political issues into a discourse of moral decline, which became a contested space between rival ideologies, identities, and intellectual currents. The primary journals and printed sources of the period provide valuable insights into the various constituencies of the late Ottoman Empire and their perspectives on the moral crisis. This book is essential reading for social and intellectual historians of the late Ottoman Empire.

Weight: 320g
Dimension: 154 x 234 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780755642533