The phenomenon of social change and its epistemological sources in the Ottoman State and early Republican era

Özay, Mehmet (2023) The phenomenon of social change and its epistemological sources in the Ottoman State and early Republican era. In: “The Role of Philisophy in Boosting Religious Intuition in the Age of Artificial Intelligence”, Institut Agama Islam Negeri Kediri (IAIN Kediri), Jawa Timur. (Unpublished)

	PDF - Submitted Version Restricted to Repository staff only Download (387kB)
Preview	PDF Download (183kB) | Preview
Preview	PDF Download (299kB) | Preview

Abstract

Facing military difficulties on the battlefields and losing territories gradually caused the Ottomans bureucratic elites to think about solutions and practically they adopted the military solutions in the initial stages. However, later they acknowledged the Western European states' scientific and social developmental stages, the Ottoman sultans and bureaucratic elites initiated institutional reforms significantly. This process led first voluntarily and later compulsorily epistemological adaptations in a gradual manner as well. However, instead of representing the neutral change in the social system, this inclination caused the emergence of an excruciating and problematic process. One of the main reasons for this is that vertical change, namely, from top to bottom process was implemented or imposed. Although the political and bureaucratic elites prioritized a specific direction of change, it is difficult to argue that they succeeded in convincing and/or getting the participation of the general masses. Although the idea of parliament seems to falsify this, it is difficult to argue that there was significant civil action from the religious circles for a more remarkable and intentional social change based on epistemological fundamentals. Beyond this, the direction of the change caused implicitly or explicitly a differentiation of weltanschauung of the state. On the other hand, the most apparent indications for institutional and societal changes, such as Tanzimat Fermanı (1839) with Islahat Fermanı (1856), were conducted majorily through the impositions of the Western European states. Similarly, the failure of the beginning of Meşrutiyet I (First Constitutional Monarchy) in 1876 embodied symbolically the weakness of civil and political organizations. After some decades, the forceful implementation of the Meşrutiyet II (Second Constitutional Monarchy) in 1908 and the emergence of a revolutionary orientation one year later revealed the existence of a ideological struggle between the political and military elites rather than the people or civil society. With this regard, it is necessary to understand that the power formation created by the Ottoman State, -which can be considered essential and justified according to its period-, could not be channeled in an orientation that could represent itself in the popular strata. This changing process was based on intentionally or forcefully continued during the early phase of the new Republic. Moreover, it is witnessed in the revolutionary policies of the Republican governments.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Keynote)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Social change, Young Turks, the Ottomans, the Turkish Republic, epistemology
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button):	International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC)
Depositing User:	ASSOC.PROF MEHMET ÖZAY
Date Deposited:	15 Aug 2023 14:57
Last Modified:	15 Aug 2023 14:57
URI:	http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/106109

Actions (login required)

View Item