Roads to modernity: Empire, nations and East/West relations in the Ottoman world, c. 1800-2000

Admission to the course requires a Bachelor of Arts degree (or equivalent) in a humanities or social sciences subject.

The countries of Southeast Europe, the Caucasus, and the Middle East are often portrayed in media and political rhetoric as being trapped in a malignant, unchanging culture that constitutes an obstacle to modernization, understood as Western modernity. Recurring episodes of war, ethnic cleansing, and national chauvinism have reinforced the idea that unending hatred and ancient ethnic antagonisms are the defining characteristics through which local societies can be understood. These assumptions reflect nineteenth-century Western attitudes toward the Ottoman Empire as Europe’s significant Other—“the sick man of Europe”—which dominated the region. However, they overlook the fact that many of these conflicts arose as a result of the empire’s own attempts to modernize.

In this course, we examine the ways in which the Ottoman Empire and several of its successor states in Southeast Europe and the Middle East confronted the challenges of rapid modernization, including the emergence of nationalism, democratic governance, and authoritarianism, within societies marked by ethnic, linguistic, and religious diversity. Drawing on perspectives from fields such as nationalism studies, genocide studies, and memory studies, we explore the significance of the Ottoman experience for understanding the political and cultural development of the region, as well as major scholarly debates surrounding the transformation of the Ottoman Empire and its successors.

Knowledge and understanding:

Demonstrate in-depth understanding of the historical, cultural and societal aspects of key issues and cases relating to the late Ottoman empire and its successor states.

Exhibit a comprehensive understanding of key concepts and perspectives drawn from the fields of nationalism, genocide and memory studies.

Competence and skills

Describe and analyse historical, cultural and societal aspects, including intercommunal relations, of the late Ottoman empire and its successor states.

Independently identify and apply analytical concepts addressing the interaction of historical, cultural and societal factors in the late Ottoman empire and its successor states.

Independently produce text in accordance with good academic practice, including proper citation technique and use of references.

Communicate clearly and proficiently both orally and in writing.

Judgment and approach:

Contextualize current debates regarding the Middle East and the Balkans from a historical perspective

Scrutinize and critically evaluate academic research, in writing as well as in oral discussion.

The course will be taught through lectures and/or seminars, and compulsory assignments.

Students will be evaluated through mandatory written assignments and active participation in seminars.

If a student who has been failed twice for the same examination element wishes to change examiner before the next examination session, such a request is to be granted unless there are specific reasons to the contrary (Chapter 6 Section 22 HF).

If a student has received a certificate of disability study support from the University of Gothenburg with a recommendation of adapted examination and/or adapted forms of assessment, an examiner may decide, if this is consistent with the course’s intended learning outcomes and provided that no unreasonable resources would be needed, to grant the student adapted examination and/or adapted forms of assessment.

If a course has been discontinued or undergone major changes, the student must be offered at least two examination sessions in addition to ordinary examination sessions. These sessions are to be spread over a period of at least one year but no more than two years after the course has been discontinued/changed. The same applies to placement and internship (VFU) except that this is restricted to only one further examination session.

If a student has been notified that they fulfil the requirements for being a student at Riksidrottsuniversitetet (RIU student), to combine elite sports activities with studies, the examiner is entitled to decide on adaptation of examinations if this is done in accordance with the Local rules regarding RIU students at the University of Gothenburg.

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The results of and possible changes to the course will be shared with students who participated in the evaluation and students who are starting the course.