Learning to Read in the Late Ottoman Empire and the Early Turkish Republic

Abstract

This study examines Benjamin Fortna's Learning to Read in the Late Ottoman Empire and the Early Turkish Republic (2012), which explores the role of literacy and schooling in shaping individual and societal experiences from 1880 to 1930. Fortna argues that education was a key tool for both moral and economic advancement, fostering a sense of national identity and modernity. By analyzing school curricula, textbooks, and educational policies, he demonstrates how the state used literacy as a political instrument to critique Ottoman traditions while promoting Republican ideals. This approach contrasts with earlier studies by scholars like Kemal Karpat and Akçin Selçuk Somel, who focused more narrowly on specific periods or aspects of education reform. Fortna's work bridges the gap between late Ottoman and early republican eras, revealing continuities in educational practices that emphasized modernization and secularism. His analysis highlights how schooling not only imparted knowledge but also reshaped social norms, challenging traditional family structures and promoting a more uniform national identity.

(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.)