Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
In this episode, Dr Ayşe Ozil, Associate Professor of History at Sabancı University and a member of the Ottoman Mobilities and Interactions Advisory Board, discusses the social and economic worlds of the late Ottoman Empire through the lens of mobility, community and urban life. Dr Ozil reflects on her academic journey into Ottoman history and talks about her research on Greek Orthodox communities, shedding new light on ethno-religious relations beyond familiar narratives of nationalism and conflict. The conversation moves into the streets and commercial spaces of Istanbul, examining the city as both an imperial capital and a global port shaped by trade, migration, and everyday interactions. From the overlooked histories embedded in neighbourhoods like Tarlabaşı to the rich archival possibilities of commercial buildings such as hans, this episode reveals how alternative sources can transform our understanding of the past. We also consider questions of gender, asking how women’s mobility and economic presence can be traced in spaces often assumed to be male-dominated. Finally, the discussion turns to the broader implications of mobility for Ottoman history today, highlighting new directions and challenges in the field.
Resources:
- Ayse Ozil, Orthodox Christians in the late Ottoman Empire: a study of communal relations in Anatolia. Routledge, 2013.
- Ayşe Ozil, Anadolu Rumları: Osmanlı İmparatorluğu'nun Son Döneminde Millet Sistemini Yeniden Düşünmek. Kitap Yayınevi, 2016.
- Mark Mazower, Ayşe Ozil, Bizans' ın çöküşünden günümüze Balkanlar. Alfa, 2014.
- Ayşe Ozil, Galata’da Uluslararası Ticareti Mektup Zarflarından Okumak. Toplumsal Tarih Akademi, vol. 2, 2023: 106-110.
- Digital Exhibition: Ayşe Ozil and Sadettin Fidan, The "Han"s of Galata / Galata Hanları.
In English: artsandculture.google.com/story/the-han-s-of-galata-sakp-sabanc-museum/HQWhQ-nXDqLkBg?hl=en.
In Turkish: artsandculture.google.com/story/HQWhQ-nXDqLkBg?hl=tr.
In this episode, Dr Ayşe Ozil, Associate Professor of History at Sabancı University and a member of the Ottoman Mobilities and Interactions Advisory Board, discusses the social and economic worlds of the late Ottoman Empire through the lens of mobility, community and urban life. Dr Ozil reflects on her academic journey into Ottoman history and talks about her research on Greek Orthodox communities, shedding new light on ethno-religious relations beyond familiar narratives of nationalism and conflict. The conversation moves into the streets and commercial spaces of Istanbul, examining the city as both an imperial capital and a global port shaped by trade, migration, and everyday interactions. From the overlooked histories embedded in neighbourhoods like Tarlabaşı to the rich archival possibilities of commercial buildings such as hans, this episode reveals how alternative sources can transform our understanding of the past. We also consider questions of gender, asking how women’s mobility and economic presence can be traced in spaces often assumed to be male-dominated. Finally, the discussion turns to the broader implications of mobility for Ottoman history today, highlighting new directions and challenges in the field.
Resources:
- Ayse Ozil, Orthodox Christians in the late Ottoman Empire: a study of communal relations in Anatolia. Routledge, 2013.
- Ayşe Ozil, Anadolu Rumları: Osmanlı İmparatorluğu'nun Son Döneminde Millet Sistemini Yeniden Düşünmek. Kitap Yayınevi, 2016.
- Mark Mazower, Ayşe Ozil, Bizans' ın çöküşünden günümüze Balkanlar. Alfa, 2014.
- Ayşe Ozil, Galata’da Uluslararası Ticareti Mektup Zarflarından Okumak. Toplumsal Tarih Akademi, vol. 2, 2023: 106-110.
- Digital Exhibition: Ayşe Ozil and Sadettin Fidan, The "Han"s of Galata / Galata Hanları.
In English: artsandculture.google.com/story/the-han-s-of-galata-sakp-sabanc-museum/HQWhQ-nXDqLkBg?hl=en.
In Turkish: artsandculture.google.com/story/HQWhQ-nXDqLkBg?hl=tr.
