34. The Sick Man of Europe

Eugene Rogan, a distinguished historian of the Ottomans at St Antony's College, Oxford, shares his deep expertise on the declining Ottoman Empire. He delves into the rising nationalism in the Balkans, the challenges Sultan Abdülhamid II faced, and the paradox of his reforms amid authoritarian rule. Rogan highlights the significance of the Young Turks in reshaping the empire's political landscape and discusses the complex geopolitical choices leading up to World War I. His insights reveal a transformative period fraught with tension and potential.