From the unionist actualité to the mass popularity: Şehbâl (1909-1914)

Abstract

The basic goal of this thesis is to have a deep look into Şehbâl, a magazine published during the Second Constitutional period when the Ottoman Empire went through a process of important changes and progress. Şehbâl was published after the declaration of the Second Constitution in 1908 between March 1, 1325 (March 14, 1909) and July 10, 1330 (July 24, 1914) for a period of five years and four months in the form of 100 issues. Şehbâl was published in the capital city of the Empire and it read the pulse of its period well. It is an important primary source documenting the cultural and current events of its period. Şehbâl literally means “the longest feather in the wing that facilitates acceleration.” With that name, it tried to have an effective role in the transformational process of the Empire through its publication policies. Şehbâl was published during the most active and effective period of Bâb-ı Âli between 1908 and 1914. This period marks the formation and implementation of the policies of the Committee of Union and Progress which aimed to overcome and survive various political and social problems the Ottoman Empire had and to make significant progress to catch up with its contemporaries through social transformation and development. Unionists were aware of the importance of the press in reaching this goal. As a result, while they secretly supported some newspapers and magazines, some intellectuals with Unionist ideas also tried to contribute to the westernization process of the Ottoman society with newspapers and magazines they published. Şehbâl especially emphasized women’s rights, technology, medicine, arts, politics and social concerns in its articles. It was also visually quite rich. It can be surmised through a study of this visual material that the magazine captured its period and tried to introduce western culture through western sources.