Ottoman Reform and Muslim Regeneration: Studies in Honour of Butrus Abu-Manneh Edited by Itzchak Weissman and Fruma Zachs
… As the matrix of the Middle East, the 'long nineteenth century' of Ottoman History, from the seminal treaty of Kucuk Kaynarca in 1774 to the demise of the empire in 1918, has received sample scholarly attention. Similar to what occurred in studies of other regions of the world, this research underwent a substantial shift from the traditional/modern dichotomist presentation typical of theories of 'modernization', to a more nuanced understanding of the continuum between them. By this process, the earlier emphasis on the influence exerted by a progressive and dynamic West on basically static and backward non-Western societies such as the Ottoman gave way to a more perceptive analysis of the inner processes of change undertaken by this admittedly dynamic and complex society in the face of the modern challenge. More recently, the focus on the political and legal history of the empire has been supplemented by new perspectives such as an economic and social history.
The present volume seeks to make a contribution to the research on the late Ottoman period from two complementary aspects. One is the evolution of the Ottoman state reforms as it was perceived from various perspectives. The other aspect is that of Islamic regeneration, derived from the interaction between the Ottoman centre and the periphery. The twelve articles contained in this volume, each from its own perspective, points to the close relationship between the symbolic and actual measures undertaken by the Ottoman state from 1774 on, especially from the era of the Tanzimat (1839-76), and the role of Islam as its foundational ethos and as the religion of the majority of the population.