Osmanlı-Amerikan İlişkileri (Ottoman-American Relations) by Nurdan Şafak

Abstract

This review critiques Nurdan Şafak’s Ottoman-American Relations (2003), which explores historical dynamics between the Ottoman Empire and the United States through political, commercial, military, and cultural lenses. The reviewer, Serkan Ünal, acknowledges Şafak’s novel use of Ottoman archival sources as a significant contribution to the field, contrasting with prior Western scholarship that relied solely on American/English archives. However, Ünal challenges Şafak’s central argument that U.S.-Ottoman relations were fundamentally friendly, citing evidence of coercive diplomacy, economic interventionism, and tensions over missionary activities. The review presents a mixed assessment, praising the archival innovation while criticizing inconsistencies in Şafak’s conclusions. Key themes include diplomatic relations, the Armenian Question, coercive diplomacy, and cultural interactions. Theoretically, Şafak’s analysis is grounded in historical materialism, while Ünal’s critique leans toward realist theory and postcolonial perspectives. The discussion calls for more nuanced interpretations of 'friendly' relations, emphasizing the complexities of imperial encounters.

(The abstract and keywords were prepared retrospectively for indexing purposes using AI-assisted tools and editorial review, based on the original article. They did not appear in the original publication.)