A cherished tradition – the Annual Turkish lecture – took place on April 15th at Emory University’s Conference Center. Hosted by the Halle Institute for Global Research and the Turkish American Friendship Council, the Turkish lecture brings experts on Turkish history and culture to Emory’s campus for a public lecture and discussion with an audience of Emory community members.
This year, we were delighted to welcome as our speaker Dr. Christine Philliou, Professor of History at Berkeley University. Dr. Philliou specializes in the connected histories of the Balkans and Middle East since the 17th century, focusing particularly on the emergence of the Greek and Turkish nation-states out of the Ottoman Empire in the 19th and 20th centuries.
An Old Story: Turkey’s Relationship to the Ottoman Past
Some people would say that the Republic of Turkey has no relationship to the Ottoman Empire. Others would say that Turkey is a direct heir and successor to that empire, as Mustafa Kemal proclaimed a Republic in October 1923 which was distinct from the Sultanate and Caliphate. The fact that both would have a strong case is testament to how complex modern Turkey’s relationship is to the Ottoman Empire. In this talk I will discuss the broad set of issues that come into play when we think about Turkey and the Ottoman past, and offer some new perspectives on the miraculous transition from Empire to Republic.