FROM MILLET TO NATION

This work analyzes the modern Greek enlightenment
and 19th century Greek
Nationalism, in the light of the nationalism
theories. It confronts with the process of
Modern Greek enlightenment which took place within
the lands of the Ottoman
Empire and the Greek nationalism which was the
second phase of the modern Greek
enlightenment. The work argues that the lands
where today Greeks live had been
invaded and settled by various ethnic groups. As a
result it lost its ethnic ties with the
ancient Greeks. Modern Greeks are not the
descendants of ancient Greeks as they
accept. Modern Greek national identity is a
constructed one and Greek nation which
is a mixture of different Balkan Orthodox people
such as Slavs, Albanians,
Macedonians and Bulgars. Greek Nation was built
within the Ottoman Millet system
by the help of the European Philhellenes and Greek
intellectuals. This assumption is
based on Fallmayer theory which suggests that
ancient Greeks had disappeared
completely and the modern Greeks were merely
descendants of Slavs and Albanians.

Autorentext

Murat Önsoy received his MA in International Relations from Bilkent University-Ankara. He obtained his Ph.D in Political Science from Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. He is currently a research assistant at Hacettepe University, Department of International Relations. e-mail: onsoymurat@hotmail.com

Klappentext

This work analyzes the modern Greek enlightenment and 19th century GreekNationalism, in the light of the nationalism theories. It confronts with the process ofModern Greek enlightenment which took place within the lands of the OttomanEmpire and the Greek nationalism which was the second phase of the modern Greekenlightenment. The work argues that the lands where today Greeks live had beeninvaded and settled by various ethnic groups. As a result it lost its ethnic ties with theancient Greeks. Modern Greeks are not the descendants of ancient Greeks as theyaccept. Modern Greek national identity is a constructed one and Greek nation whichis a mixture of different Balkan Orthodox people such as Slavs, Albanians,Macedonians and Bulgars. Greek Nation was built within the Ottoman Millet systemby the help of the European Philhellenes and Greek intellectuals. This assumption isbased on Fallmayer theory which suggests that ancient Greeks had disappearedcompletely and the modern Greeks were merely descendants of Slavs and Albanians.