Yunus Emre InstituteYoung Scholars: Constructing the Young Turk in Britain
Yunus Emre Institute London is delighted to announce its upcoming Young Scholar Seminar Series talk: “Constructing the Young Turk in Britain: British Representations of the Young Turk Revolution and Counter-Revolution”, by Meryem Nur Küçük. The talk will take place on Thursday 29th February 2024 at 7 pm UK Time.
Constructing the Young Turk in Britain: British Representations of the Young Turk Revolution and Counter-Revolution
The ‘curious [Ottoman] “revolution”’ of 1908 did not result in the dethronement of Sultan Abdulhamid II, who had ruled for 32 years. It did not result in mass casualties and bloodshed, nor did it establish a radically new revolutionary order. Nonetheless, it marked a watershed moment in Ottoman history and had a profound impact beyond the Empire’s borders. The return of the Ottoman constitution and parliament, together with the establishment of the new Committee of Union and Progress leadership, profoundly shaped the trajectories of the Middle East and the Balkans. Moreover, the ‘New Era in Turkey’, as The Times put it, deeply impacted the Empire’s relationship with European Powers, especially Britain. Within nine months, a counter-revolution that aimed to reverse much of what was espoused by the July Revolution overthrew the new government. Despite the oppositional nature of the revolution and counter-revolution, Britain had shown support for both.
In this talk, Meryem Nur Küçük will question how such stark policy shifts were possible and, indeed, justified. To explore this, Meryem will delve into Foreign Office and diplomatic papers as well as published works, including travel writing, literature and the British press.
Meryem Nur Küçük received her BA in History and International Relations from King’s College London and is a World History MPhil graduate from the University of Cambridge. She focuses on Modern Middle Eastern History and Modern European history, with an emphasis on the later Ottoman Empire and the early years of the Turkish Republic and their layered relationship with Britain. Meryem has worked in cultural and environmental diplomacy, written for various political journals, and was a research assistant analysing British-Muslim diasporic consciousness. Meryem’s research focuses on nationalism, identity-making, and diplomacy in the 19th and 20th centuries. Currently, Meryem works as a researcher in the House of Commons and undertakes a number of academic research projects around her areas of interest.
Date: Thursday 29th February 2024
Time: 7 pm
Venue: Yunus Emre Institute London, 10 Maple Street, London, W1T 5HA
Tickets can be purchased here: