CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2024
| Author | Kazzaz, Gizem |
|---|---|
| Title | Muhajir Politics of the Hamidian Era: The Case of Chechens in Ras al-'Ayn |
| Summary | This thesis examines the migration policies of the Hamidian era (1876-1909), with a central focus on the Chechen refugee settlements of Ra's al-'Ayn district. By concentrating on this region, this thesis uncovers the strategic intent of Ottoman authorities to implement imperial policies through refugee settlements strategically established in the peripheries. However, not every refugee settlement served the imperial political purposes as the Ottoman Empire had envisioned. The Ottoman state established the Chechen refugee settlements of Ra's al-'Ayn to pursue its imperial objectives in the eastern deserts against the semi-independent tribes dominating the region. The Chechens, unfortunately, were unable to thrive within this region due to adverse conditions. They endured droughts, locust invasions, malaria, and cholera, which resulted in an inability to maintain an agrarian community in the district. In this thesis, I argue that the primary factors that led to the challenges Chechen refugees encountered were the inadequate assessment of land suitability for settlement and insufficient government support, which eventually led them to resort to banditry in Ra's al-‘Ayn. |
| Supervisor | Al-Bagdadi, Nadia; Wilson, Brett |
| Department | History MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2024/kazzaz_gizem.pdf |
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