Identifying Ottomanisms: the Discursive Evolution of Ottoman Pasts in the Turkish Presents

Abstract

This article problematizes the much-used but under-analysed concept of Ottomanism, exploring its discursive evolution from the concept's origins in the nineteenth century to its present practice. Investigating its roots in an elitist multicultural project, the paper examines its integral role as part of the opposing intellectual subculture during the early Republican era and its later re-politicization as 'neo-Ottomanism' in Turkey's ozal-era foreign policy. The current practice of 'banal Ottomanism' by the AK Party is analysed as a symbolic component of the current re-identification of Turkish society, facilitating the reintroduction of Islamic-Ottomanist traditions into everyday routines.