Table of Contents

Preface Introduction 1. What Are Turkey's Fundamental Problems? A Model for Understanding Turkey Today 2. A Theoretical Approach to Understanding Turkish National Identity 3. Some Aspects of Turkish National Identity and the Armenian Genocide 4. The Homogenizing and Ethnic Cleansing of Anatolia 5. The Decision for Genocide in Light of Ottoman-Turkish Documents 6. The Treaties of Sèvres and Lausanne: An Alternative Perspective 7. The Causes and Effects of Making Turkish History Taboo 8. The Genocide and Turkey 9. Some Theoretical Thoughts on the Obstacles to Armenian-Turkish Reconciliation Select Bibliography Index

Promotional Information

The first serious scholarly attempt to understand the Armenian Genocide from a perpetrator rather than victim perspective, and to contextualize those events within Turkey's political history.

About the Author

Taner Akcam is visiting professor of history at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. He was born in northeast Turkey, and became interested in Turkish politics at an early age. He fled to Germany as a political refugee in 1977. Since receiving his doctorate from Hamburg University for his work on Turkish nationalism and Armenian genocide, he has lectured and published extensively on this topic.

Reviews

'Taner Akcam is one of the new generation of scholars from Turkey developing a new understanding of Turkish history, and who are trying to explore the transition from the Ottoman Empire to the Republic. In Turkey, this subject has been made taboo politically and in official historical writing, and efforts at seeking historical truth and justice are full of personal risks. We hope that his example of courage and intellectual honesty will contribute to a better understanding between peoples in the region.' - Yair Auron, The Open University of Israel 'This book is original, discriminating, and confronts profound issues. It should be accessible to a wide audience, not scholars alone. From Empire to Republic is a book that could have a large impact on how both Turkish history and the Armenian Genocide are understood' - Roger W. Smith, Professor Emeritus, Department of Government, College of William and Mary 'Taner Akcam's approach to the analysis of the lingering Turkish-Armenian conflict is as novel as it is phenomenal. He proposes a new kind of scholarly dialogue that is based on non-partisan, authentic official documents and upon scholars, both Turkish and Armenian, whose commitment to unadulterated truth is optimal' - Vahakn N. Dadrian, Director of Genocide Research, Zoryan Institute 'Dr. Akcam has been working tirelessly, and against tremendous odds,to overcome prejudices and biases in order to initiate dialoguebetween the Turks and the Armenians. He has diligently delved into primary sources to understand, illuminate and analyze some of the darker aspects of human behavior in general and the Armenian tragedy in particular. His critical focus on this particular silence in Turkish history is bound to bolster the democratic forces in that society. Dr. Akcam's scholarship is meticulous, his perspectives illuminating, and his moral fortitude inspiring. In all, what is most remarkable is not only his perseverance, but also his genuine sense of optimism' - Fatma Muge Gocek, Sociology Department, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor