A Critical Review of “Ottoman Modernization” Concept in the Context of Historical Sociology

Abstract

The concept of modernization appears frequently in today’s sociological analyses. This conceptualization, which is employed to describe the non-Western world in particular, is essentially provided within a theoretical framework and takes on meaning within it. The term “modernization,” however, is frequently abstracted from the latter and substituted with the concepts of modernity Such uses make it difficult to understand the “modernization theory” developed in Western academic circles to explain the non-Western world and to criticize it. The Ottoman Empire dealt with the problem of “encountering the West” within its unique circumstances and produced specific solutions for this problem. Moreover, the emergence of modernization theory can only be traced back to the 1950s. Therefore, speaking of an “Ottoman modernization” appears anachronistic when considered chronologically and in light of the Ottoman Empire’s unique historical experience. Using the methods of document analysis and literature review, this paper seeks to determine whether the Ottoman experience had a place within the paradigm of modernization or not.