The German Infiltration into the Ottoman Empire through Orientalism, 1898–1908: A Study of the Transformation of Structure and Discourse
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35516/Hum.2026.11474Keywords:
Orientalism, German infiltration, colonialism, Islamic League, Boxer Revolution, German-Ottoman relations.Abstract
Objectives: This study examined German infiltration into the Ottoman Empire and its relationship with Orientalism during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It analyzed how German Orientalism influenced political, economic, and cultural expansion, highlighting the connection between infiltration and Orientalism in both practice and theory. The study further explored the German-Ottoman alliance during World War I, opening new avenues for investigating German propaganda in the Ottoman Empire and the Levant. The German Orientalist School was distinct among other Orientalist schools, shaped by the development of the German state itself. Before German unification, Orientalism leaned toward science, research, and discovery; however, the German Orientalist School evolved into an institution closely tied to government interests. Its scholarly capabilities were harnessed to advance German policy, particularly concerning the Ottoman Empire, and proved successful in facilitating German influence.
Methods: A historical–analytical method was employed, drawing on primary and modern sources to examine the evolving elements and structural shifts within German Orientalist discourse during the period of German infiltration into the Ottoman Empire, 1898–1908.
Results: The study concluded that German infiltration of the Ottoman Empire was shaped by Orientalism, which influenced the characteristics and dynamics of German-Ottoman relations. German Orientalism played a central role in defining this relationship, with its discourse seeking to interpret contemporary Oriental society by identifying its driving forces, particularly the leaders of the Islamic League. The study also examined the Ottoman Sultanate’s influence on Islamic peoples.
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