Turkey: A Modern History(International Library of Human Geography)

Building upon and updating its twin themes, this revised edition of "Turkey: a Modern History" focuses on Turkey's continuing incorporation into the capitalist world and the modernization of state and society. It begins with the forging of closer links with Europe after the French Revolution and the changing face of the Ottoman Empire in the 19th century. Zurcher argues that Turkey's history, between 1908 and 1950, should be seen as a unity, and offers a strongly revisionist interpretation of Turkey's founding father, Kemal Ataturk. In his account of the period since 1950, Zurcher focuses on: the growth of mass politics; the three military coups; the thorny issue of Turkey's human rights record; integration into the global economy; the alliance with the West and and relations with the European community; Turkey's ambivalent relations with the Middle East; the increasingly explosive Kurdish questions; the economic crisis of 1994; and the continuing political instability and growth of Islam.

Table of Contents:
Preface Preface to the Third Edition Glossary Introduction: Periodization, Theory and Methodology Part I Western Influences and Early Attempts at Modernization 1. The Ottoman Empire at the end of the Eighteenth Century 2. Between Tradition and Innovation: Sultan Selim III and the 'New Order', 1789-1807 3. The Early Years of Sultan Mahmut II: The Centre Tries to Regain Control 4. The Later Years of Sultan Mahmut II: The Start of the Reforms 5. The Era of the Tanzimat, 1839-71 6. The Crisis of 1873-78 and its Aftermath 7. Reactionary Despotism or Culmination of the Reforms? The reign of Sultan Abdulhamit II Part II The Young Turk Era in Turkish History (1908-50) 8. The Second Constitutional Period, 1912-18 9. The Struggle for Independence 10. The Emergence of the One-Party State, 1923-27 11. The Kemalist One-Party State, 1923-27 12. The Transition to Democracy, 1945-50 Part III A Troubled Democracy 13. The Rule of the Democratic Party, 1950-1960 14. The Second Turkish Republic, 1960-1980 15. The Third Republic: Turkey Since 1980 Notes Maps Drawn by Russell Townsend The Ottoman Balkans Anatolia The Arab Provinces of the Ottoman Empire Bibliographical Survey Bibliographical Notes: Some Important Figures in Ottoman and Turkish History Index

About the Author :
Erik J. Zurcher is Professor of Turkish Studies at the University of Leiden.

Review :
"Although first published in 1993, Professor Zurcher's account of Turkey's development from the remnants of the Ottoman Empire to a candidate for EU membership still offers one of the best accounts of how Turkey became the political animal it is today." - Simon Taylor, European Voice "Zurcher... writes in a fluent and easily accessible style, and with admriably broad scope and full command of this immensely complex subject." - Frank Tachau, University of Illinois, Chicago "...provides the historical perspective essential for an understanding of these issues - it could not have come at a more opportune time." - Andrew Mango, Times Literary Supplement "This is an excellent textbook... Any reader, teacher or student or not, can profit from it." - Roderic H. Davison, George Washington University "Turkey: A Modern History can be recommended with confidence to anybody who wishes to gain a general perspective on where the study of modern Turkish history at this time. Zurcher is more than successful in synthesizing the growing body of findings and arguments into a coherent whole. This will also make a very good textbook in upper-level courses on the modern Middle East. Finally... Zurcher's study also represents the definitive statement about the crucial continuities between Imperial and Republican history. As such, it makes an important contribution to the field of Turkish studies." - Resat Kasaba, University of Washington