THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE NEW OTTOMANS AND YOUNG TURKS TO THE EMERGENCE OF TURKISH NATIONALISM

This study explores the critical contributions of the New Ottomans and Young Turks to the development of Turkish nationalism in the Ottoman Empire and their legacy to the modern Turkish Republic. It first identifies the ideological evolution and practical practices that characterised the New Ottomans and Young Turk movements. Both movements, this study argues, were the roots or sources of Turkish nationalism. The New Ottomans, in their attempt to synthesise Ottomanism with emerging nationalist sentiments, laid the foundations of a distinct Turkish identity. The Young Turks, on the other hand, built on this foundation with a more ambitious nationalist agenda that shaped the trajectory of the modern Turkish state. This study, which also addresses the similarities and differences between the New Ottomans and the Young Turks, emphasizes the importance of these two movements from the mid-19th century to the early 20th century to look at the historical origins of Turkish nationalism. It also claims to contribute to a better understanding of the complex dynamics of nationalism in a multi-ethnic empire by filling gaps in the existing literature and offering new perspectives.