Turkey in the Balkans: From Late Ottoman to the 1970s

Forming a major historical backbone of the book, the chapter discusses power relations over the last two centuries, covering the Ottoman State and the Turkish Republic one of the previous breaking points of the AKP. This chapter is essential for two reasons: First, it is hard to understand current discussions about the Balkans and Turkey without knowledge on the background, since many issues stem from the Ottoman period and continue throughout the twentieth century. Secondly, all the discussions about identity within the Ottoman State are relevant for both Turkey and the Balkans and are still valid.