An empire's reexamination of diversity for modernization

This chapter explores Ottomanism, the imperial citizenship project that pursued the equality of all Ottoman residents irrespective of ethno-religious differences throughout the long nineteenth century. Ottomanism emerged within the framework of modernization to address the diversity of the realm in order to maintain the integrity of the empire, which was challenged by an increasing number of separatist ethnic nationalisms. Examining its components (the system of education, the army, civil service, and so on), this chapter simultaneously shows how imperial nationalism was endorsed by miscellaneous political groups, such as liberals, constitutionalists, monarchists, and socialists, who vested their interests in the survival of the empire in different periods. Moreover, the chapter sheds light on the identity formation of individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds by discussing how the supranational and pan-ethnic “Ottoman” identity, which was designed to complement existing ethnic identities, was interpreted. Detailing its replacement by ethnonationalist projects by delving into the case study of the Republic of Turkey, and discussing the limits of this imperial project, this chapter nevertheless sharply deviates from the teleological view on the inevitability of Ottomanism’s decline and argues that Ottomanism reveals valuable perspectives on how to administer and cultivate diversity and coexistence in the still multiethnic post-Ottoman territory.