SCHOOL IN BUILDING THE NATIONAL IDENTITY IN OTTOMAN EMPIRE

Abstract

Modern states have given importance to build the national identities. In this way, the people who had different ethnic origins were tried to be combined to the state within the framework of national consciousness. Schools are used as an effective instrument in building the national identity. Ottoman Empire was made up of different nations and wanted to build a modern state integrating all these differences with the help of school. In this context, the state chose the way to establish and extend modern schools across the country in order to get all ethnical elements would study together. Because of the fact that the nationalist idea was so popular especially among non-Muslim groups and they had their own schools, this plan did not get much success. In this study, the modern schools opened in Ottoman State, the desired results through these schools and the role of the schools toward Ottoman identity are examined.