The History of Turkey - (Ottoman and Turkish Studies) by Maurus Reinkowski

Book Synopsis

A comprehensive, readable history of the Republic of Turkey that gives equal weight to all periods in the first century of the Republic of Turkey.
The republican order of Turkey seems not to have changed much since its foundation in 1923, but there were dramatic transformations: From Atatüuuml;rk's modernization dictatorship in the 1920s and 1930s, over the massive migration into the cities and the military coups in the second half of the twentieth century, up to Recep Tayyip Erdoğans electoral autocracy since the 2010s. This book makes us understand Turkey's historical trajectory in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and the fate of its various communities and ethnic groups-in particular Alevis and Kurds--and argues that a particular trait of Turkish political culture is its constant fluctuation between confidence and contention, grandeur and grievance.

Review Quotes

"Since 2023 was Turkey's centennial anniversary, scores of publications on modern Turkey were to be expected. Among the most welcome of these is Reinkowski's text. This translation and expanded version of his 2021 book provides a comprehensive history of Republican Turkey through the 2023 elections. ... The analysis of the coups, the complex political and economic environment, Cold War and post-Cold War pressures, and the ultimate success of Islamism, among other topics, allow readers to truly understand Turkey. ... Highly recommended."

- R. W. Zens, CHOICE

"Refreshingly, the author avoids the special pleading for Tüuuml;rkiye that too many specialists fall into, forthrightly referring to the 'Armenian genocide' and to 'public and state antisemitism.' ... History contains many insights. Here are two: 'Much more fundamental for the self-understanding of today's Turkey is that it was and is a place of refuge for millions of Muslim and Turkic refugees and migrants.' 'Turkey ultimately stands for only itself. It is conspicuous that no other country offers an immediate comparison.' Reinkowski's history of Türkiye over the past century deserves to become the standard account."

-- Daniel Pipes, Middle East Quarterly

"Maurus Reinkowski's The History of Turkey: Grandeur and Grievance offers a critical retelling of Turkey's triumphs and tragedies, providing an empathic exploration of the country's past over a century. This expertly crafted work illuminates the country's moments of grandeur and delves into its deep-seated grievances. Through an engagement with state-of-the-art research, Reinkowski's keen eye for detail allows him to paint a vivid picture of Turkey's complex history, surpassing standard textbooks. In a time of political crisis, Reinkowski's engaging yet sober book offers a much-needed update to the perhaps overly optimistic scholarship of the last two decades. Impeccably researched and eloquently written, The History of Turkey: Grandeur and Grievance is an indispensable resource for scholars, students, and anyone seeking a critical understanding of Turkey's past, present, and future."

-- Alp Yenen, Assistant Professor of Modern Turkish History and Culture, Leiden University

"In his thought-provoking introductory chapter, Maurus Reinkowski aptly observes that Turkey is a country that evokes anything but indifference. This rings acutely true in 2023, as Turkey not only faces presidential elections but also gears up to commemorate the centennial anniversary of the founding of the Turkish Republic. The History of Turkey provides an invaluable companion to unlock the historical context of these events. Covering a period from 1912 to the present, the book offers a nuanced, meticulously researched and vividly narrated historical overview. It serves as a comprehensive and widely accessible guide to Turkish history and historiography that also features insightful discussions of Turkey's most recent decades. By skillfully embedding key developments within their broader historical and cultural contexts, the rich narrative invites readers to explore the complexity and diversity of Turkish history and allows them to recognize enduring legacies and reverberations of the processes depicted in the book."

-- Barbara Henning, professor at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Ottoman and Turkish History

"This work is the culmination of some forty years of diligent language practice, intensive research, meticulous observation, and genuine engagement with the societies of Turkey. The result is a profound piece of scholarship with pages full of intellectually sophi

About the Author

Maurus Reinkowski is Professor of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies at the Department of Social Sciences, University of Basel, Switzerland. He is a specialist in the history of the late Ottoman Empire and the modern Middle East. He has published on the early Israel-Palestine conflict, imperial order, conspiracy theories, conversion and crypto-religiosity.