The purpose of this seminar is to explore slavery as an institution in the Ottoman context. Historical "moments" or issues regarding which students will be guided into in-depth research include: Ottoman slavery in the context of broader world perspectives; "open" and "closed" systems of slavery; means of acquiring or recruiting slaves; ethnicity and slavery; changes in the Ottoman demand for slaves; slaves as soldiers and administrators; slaves in agriculture; slaves in manufacturing activities; domestic slavery; popular slave culture in Ottoman society; slavery and its legal framework; the Abolitionist debate in Europe and North America, and its relevance for Ottoman slavery; Western involvement in Ottoman slavery; governmental measures against slavery and the slave trade; the eventual demise of Ottoman slavery in the absence of a legal act of abolition. Requirements : a major research paper of around 30 pages. Counts towards fulfilling the seminar requirement in History. Prerequisite : An adequate command of Ottoman Turkish, through TLL 501-502 or the equivalent, and subject to the instructor's approval.
