Constructing Ottoman identity: Namik Kemal’s intellectual legacy

BEKTAŞ E.

National Identities, 2025 (ESCI, Scopus) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Publication Date: 2025
  • Doi Number: 10.1080/14608944.2025.2593337
  • Journal Name: National Identities
  • Journal Indexes: Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Scopus, American History and Life, Historical Abstracts, Index Islamicus, MLA - Modern Language Association Database, Political Science Complete
  • Keywords: constitutional monarchy, Hürriyet newspaper, Namık Kemal, Ottoman identity, young Ottomans
  • Yıldız Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Namık Kemal advocated for a constitutional government to unite the diverse populations of the Ottoman Empire under a shared identity. He believed that such a system would strengthen people’s sense of belonging, prevent separatist tendencies, and foster social unity. This study examines Kemal’s contributions to debates on the constitutional monarchy in the Ottoman Empire and his support for it. His vision highlighted consultation and participatory governance as essential tools for enhancing social cohesion among Ottoman subjects.