Modernization in the Late Ottoman Era

<p>This volume is a local history focusing on the experiences of people and</p><p>communities as they navigated and enacted institutions and transformations</p><p>associated with modernization in the late Ottoman era. Focusing on</p><p>the local political arena of a relatively small predominantly rural and ordinary</p><p>setting this book examines two neighboring Western Anatolian towns:</p><p>Yenişehir and İznik.</p><p>Utilizing rigorous historiographical inquiry and in-depth use of archival</p><p>materials this book sketches a dynamic picture of late Ottoman imperial</p><p>political belonging with the agendas and priorities of the countryside where</p><p>the majority of Ottomans lived. The monograph contributes to understanding</p><p>of modernization from different local perspectives by excavating the</p><p>provincial hinterland of the imperial capital. It uses a narrative technique of</p><p>analyzing certain local events to address larger structures and transformations</p><p>pertaining to the long 19th century in general and Ottoman history in</p><p>particular. As a “micro” study it argues for the significance of individuals’</p><p>and social groups’ agencies strategies and conceptions of their world in the</p><p>unfolding of Ottoman modernization.</p><p>Offering a vivid picture of local communities and their engagements with</p><p>modern political social and judicial structures in the late Ottoman era this</p><p>book will appeal to scholars and advanced graduate students interested in</p><p>comparative imperial history Ottoman history and Middle Eastern studies.</p>