Fezzes in the River: Identity Politics and European Diplomacy in the Middle East on the Eve of World War IISelf-determination, imported into the Middle East on the heels of World War I, held out the promise of democratic governance to the former territories of the Ottoman Empire. The new states that European Great Powers carved out of the multilingual, multiethnic, and multireligious empire were expected to adhere to new forms of affiliation that emphasized previously unimportant differences. In 1936, the new Republic of Turkey lay claim to Antioch and the Sanjak (province) of Alexandretta, which the French had ruled since 1920 as part of its mandate over Syria. Turkey's ambassador made a passionate argument that Alexandretta was a homeland of the Turks, a place that was essentially Turkish. With France and Turkey unable to reach agreement, the League of Nations was called in to broker a compromise consistent with the spirit of the new democratic impulse, one of many disputes that it had to adjudicate as self-determination became a rallying cry for peoples who wanted to form new nations around their collective identities. Over the next four years, Turkey struggled for recognition of its claims to the territory, while Turkish authorities competed to win hearts and minds in Alexandretta province. In this nuanced narrative, Sarah D. Shields illuminates how the people of this region-about a quarter of a million Arabs, Armenians, Circassians, Kurds, and Turks-were forced to choose between Turkish and Arab identities. In the end, Shields shows, national identities played no role in the outcome of the dispute. What happened on the ground in this contested region was determined by Great Power diplomacy amidst the crisis of European democracy in the late 1930s, a story skillfully interwoven with the violent struggles that took place on the streets of the province. In the end, a new kind of identity politics was unleashed that redefined belonging, transformed nationalism, and set in motion the process of dysfunctional democracy that continues to plague the Middle East. |
Contents
The League Takes the Case | |
The League Decides | |
Transition to Independence | |
Registrations Begin | |
Martial | |
Conclusion | |
Appendix I | |
Notes | |
Bibliography | |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
accused administration agreement Alawis Aleppo Alexandretta Security ambassador Ankara Anker Antioch Arab Aras Armenians Atatürk August claimed Collet created Damascus December delegate demanded demonstrations DSG Beirut Information Durieux to Martel elections electoral bureau electoral commission electoral regulations foreign minister France France and Turkey France’s Franco-Syrian Treaty French Mandate French officials Fundamental Law Gacon Garreau gendarmes Geneva government’s Halkevi Hatay High Commissioner identity independence inscribe insisted International January January 25 June Karasapan Kemalist Kirikhan League of Nations Mardam Martel to MAE Menemencioğlu Mentque Meyrier to MAE military minorities Muslims NACP National Action National Bloc nationalist October Ottoman Ottoman Empire Paris police political population president propaganda refused registration Reimers Rendel Republican People’s Party responsibility Reyhanlı Sanjak of Alexandretta situation Statute and Fundamental Syrian Syrian government Telegram territory Turcophiles Turkey’s Turkish consul Turkish foreign Turkish government Turkish majority Turkish press Türkmen Turks Viénot village voters Zaki al-Arsuzi