This course explores the development of historiography related to the Ottoman Empire and the broader Middle East, tracing key debates, methodological shifts, and ideological underpinnings from the 19th century to the present. Students will engage critically with foundational texts and revisionist perspectives that have shaped our understanding of Ottoman and Middle Eastern history. History and philology will be one of the central themes of discussions. Key themes include the methodological tensions between archival research, literary sources and oral history. Throughout the course, the repercussions of imperial, colonial and post-colonial historiographic trends will be critically analysed, as will the influence of Annales, Subaltern Studies and history from below. Through close analysis of primary and secondary sources, students will develop an understanding of how history has been written, contested and reimagined in Ottoman and Middle Eastern contexts.
- Teacher: Talin Suciyan