History: Ottoman Empire in Comparative

Topics examining the history of the Middle East. May repeat for credit with different content. Topics vary by offering; periodic offering at intervals that may exceed four years. Prerequisites: Twelve hours of History; minimum Junior standing.

Preq: 12 hours History; Minimum Jr. Standing; Co-located with Hst 5300B; Total combined enrollment 20 ; Graduate students register for Hst 5300B PACE students with permission and override

This course examines Ottoman history and institutions from a comparative perspective, challenging the prevailing scholarly tendency to depict Ottoman polity as an exceptional entity incomparable to other historical contexts. Instead, we will explore academic works that situate various aspects of Ottoman culture, society, and institutions in dialogue with neighboring fields, making Ottoman topics more relevant to broader perspectives and wider, including non-Ottomanist, audiences. Students enrolled in this course will enhance their familiarity with methodological and historiographical issues critical to the study of history beyond the Ottoman Empire, fostering a more interconnected understanding of historical processes. In this iteration of the course, particular attention will be paid to the topic of periodization, specifically how to define the notion of early modernity in the Ottoman context, in deliberate dialogue with the scholarly literature on the subject in other imperial settings. This course is designed for students with backgrounds in non-Ottoman fields who wish to broaden their understanding of Euro-Asian themes and explore comparative history.

Attendance, participation: 20%. Weekly discussion questions: 10% Leading discussions: 10% Short Reaction Papers (2): 10%. Final Paper Project: 50% total [prospectus = 5%; presentations = 10%; final paper = 35%].