95804 - The Ottoman Empire in the Eurasian Context (1) (Lm)

Learning outcomes

After completing the course students have a detailed historical knowledge of the main cultural, social and political transformations that took place in the Islamic world and in the Middle East from the 13th century to the contemporary era. They have analytical skills and are familiar with the theoretical, methodological and technical tools of the historical-religious disciplines and the social sciences for the study of relations between confessions and religions in the context of the Ottoman Empire, with attention to the socio-political implications of the interaction among groups. They are able to evaluate religious phenomena and dynamics in local and global socio-cultural contexts, to identify socio-cultural matrix of religions, as well as connections, developments, persistences and transformations of religious phenomena in complex societies such as those of the Ottoman Empire and to address and solve issues related to the management of religious pluralism. They apply investigative methodologies to critically engage with primary and secondary sources useful for exploring the significance of the Ottoman Empire for world history. They are able to communicate in written and oral form using the different models and registers of communication of the historical disciplines and to give form, including project design, to the results of research, supporting with complete evidence the information on which they base their conclusions and accounting for the methodologies used. They know how to communicate, edit and publish research results.

Course contents

The program deals with the history of the Ottoman Empire with an emphasis on its geography, frontiers, and relations based on certain units/themes of study. The program follows a chronological approach and a thematic division of topics. The themes are chosen to elaborate on watershed moments in the history of the Empire, and to reflect on the Empire’s role in global events.

Students are strongly advised not to miss the first week of the programme, during which the instructor will give a general introduction. Students' presentation schedule will also be decided during the first week.

Readings/Bibliography

There are two textbooks of the course. One is Marc David Baer, The Ottomans: Khans, Caesars and Caliphs, London: Basic Books, 2021 and the second is Renée Worringer, A Short History of the Ottoman Empire, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2021.

While Worringer's book is only complimentary for attending students, it is compulsory for those who do not attend. It means that not attending students have to read two books in total.

Attending students will choose a theme among the ones below and prepare a presentation of 15 minutes to be given at the class. The readings for the presentations (these can either be an article or a book chapter and/or a primary source) will be assigned by the instructor.

Theme 1: The Ottomans in Europe, the Europeans in the Ottoman Empire

Theme 2: The Ottoman Empire in the Mediterranean and Indian Ocean

Theme 3: The Ottoman non-Muslims and the millet system

Theme 4: The Ottoman Islamic World

Theme 5: The Ottoman Empire and Scientific-Technological Developments

Theme 6: The Imperial Harem and Women in Politics

Theme 7: Climate change and the socioeconomic transformation of the Ottoman Empire.

Theme 8: Workers, trade, migration routes, and port cities

Theme 9: Nationalism and ethnic conflicts

Theme 10: Demographic engineering in the Late Ottoman era

Theme 11: The Last Wars (Italian-Turkish War 1911, The Balkan Wars, WWI, Turkish Independence War) and the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire

Teaching methods

The lectures will be followed by student presentations and seminar discussions. Students are expected to participate discussions actively by reading the relevant parts of the textbooks before the class.

Assessment methods

Students who attend at least 75% of the lessons are considered to be attending.

Attending students: The assessment is divided into: 20% class presentation and 80% final oral exam.

Every student is required to read the textbooks for the final exam.

IMPORTANT: By the end of the first week, depending on the number of students, the instructor will assign group presentations, in which case students will pick a speaker among themselves to deliver the presentation in class on behalf of the group (only 15 minutes). Those who do not comply with this rule and do not collaborate with the group will lose 20% of their final grade (over 30).

Not attending students are required to pass an oral exam based on the textbooks (Baer and Worringer).

The questions during the exam aim to verify the student’s skills in making connections between different texts, assessing the main argument of the readings, and critically engaging with the arguments.

The grades (attending and not attending) will be assigned according to these criteria:

Proper language and the ability to critically speak about the readings will lead to a good/excellent final grade

Acceptable language and the ability to resume the readings will lead to a sufficient/fair grade

Insufficient linguistic proficiency and fragmentary knowledge of the readings will lead to a failure in passing the exam.

During the academic year, exams are scheduled in the following months:
April - June - July - September - October - November - December
Oral exam - for all students

Teaching tools

Power-points, maps, translated primary sources and online sources will be utilized throughout the course. The powerpoint presentations are available on the course page at virtuale.unibo.it

Students with learning disorders and/or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students ) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Office hours

See the website of Cigdem Oguz