Ussama Makdisi discusses the late Ottoman Empire's culture of coexistence that was disrupted by European colonialism and Zionism. They explore misconceptions about the Middle East, missionary movements, the decline of the Ottoman Empire, and Lebanon's sectarian governance.
The late Ottoman Empire fostered a culture of Muslim, Christian, and Jewish coexistence before European colonialism and Zionism exacerbated sectarianism.
The Arab provinces of the Ottoman Empire experienced a period of diverse intellectual and political ferment after the Tanzimat reforms and Arab enlightenment.
Turkey's transition to secularism under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk resulted in violent measures against religious minorities and a disregard for religious pluralism.
The division and partition of the Ottoman Arab provinces by European colonial powers hindered true independence and served their own interests rather than those of the local populations.
Deep dives
The Arab world's ambitious cosmopolitan experiment
The Arab regions of the Ottoman Empire have been home to a cosmopolitan experiment, seeking to create a society that encompasses Muslim, Christian, and Jewish communities.
The impact of Western imperial assault
The Western colonial mandates, the creation of Israel, and the invasion of Iraq have all exacerbated sectarianism in the Middle East, which has been pathologized as an innate characteristic in need of further Western intervention.
The 19th-century Ottoman Empire and the Nada
The Tanzimat political and military reforms, coinciding with the Arab enlightenment, initiated a period of diverse intellectual and political ferment in the Arab regions of the Ottoman Empire.
The quest for coexistence and the 1860 massacres
The Arab provinces experienced a pivotal moment after the 1860 massacres, which both destabilized their society and spurred a renewed commitment to coexistence, leading to the emergence of an ecumenical frame.
The Impact of National Historiography in the Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire had a system of national historiography in which each region focused solely on its own history and disregarded comparisons with other parts of the empire. This resulted in a lack of a comparative framework and a focus on modernity and Westernization. Additionally, historians often emphasized comparisons with other empires like the Russian Empire, rather than exploring internal comparisons within the Ottoman Empire.
The Secular State and Intolerance in Turkey
After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, Turkey became a secular state, but this was accompanied by violent and harsh measures against religious minorities. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk implemented policies that were intolerant of differences and viewed minorities as a threat to sovereignty. The state's reaction to European intervention in the name of protecting minorities led to a disregard for religious pluralism. The Kurdish question and the expulsion of Christian populations further exemplify the ongoing consequences of this secular state.
The Fragmentation of the Arab Provinces and the Creation of Mandates
The division and partition of the Ottoman Arab provinces was a result of European colonialism and a desire to maintain control over the region. The Arab East was fragmented into separate states under the British and French mandates, with each mandate tailored to serve the interests of the colonial powers rather than the local populations. The mandates aimed to provide administrative assistance with the eventual goal of self-determination, but in reality, they maintained colonial control and hindered true independence.
The Creation of Lebanon and its Sectarian Governance
Lebanon's trajectory was shaped by French colonialism, which divided the country from Syria and created a separate state. The Lebanese Christian elites collaborated with the French and established a sectarian state that allocated political power based on communal lines. The Lebanese system aimed to acknowledge and defuse religious and communal differences by granting equal citizenship but retaining communal divisions in politics. However, the system also privileged certain communities, creating inequality and issues with personal status laws.
Featuring Ussama Makdisi on the late Ottoman Empire's Arab culture of Muslim, Christian, and Jewish coexistence—an ecumenical frame that was interrupted by European colonialism and Zionism, which exacerbated and exploited sectarianism. This is the first of a two-part interview.
