One of the most common practices among nation-states is using the past and cultural heritage as a nation-building tool, developing national discourses that glorify a shared and owned national heritage while disregarding the others’ heritage. Greece underwent this process by creating a discourse of uniting modern Greek identity with the Ancient Greek Civilisation and the Byzantine Empire. Yet, ignoring its Ottoman past eventually resulted in the denial, neglect, and demolition of Greece’s Ottoman heritage. This talk will discuss the public perceptions of both state and people towards Ottoman heritage in Greece, analyse how it is being treated today, and to what extent it has been incorporated into the daily lives and personal identities of its contemporary communities.
Issue 66, December 2023
Turkey’s Centenary Issue
