• About
  • Policies
  • What is open access
  • Library
  • Contact
Advanced search
      View Item 
      •   BUIR Home
      • University Library
      • Bilkent Theses
      • Theses - Department of History
      • Dept. of History - Master's degree
      • View Item
      •   BUIR Home
      • University Library
      • Bilkent Theses
      • Theses - Department of History
      • Dept. of History - Master's degree
      • View Item
      JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

      Women and namus, as a regulative phenomenon, in early modern Ottoman society

      Thumbnail
      View / Download
      585.7 Kb
      Author(s)
      Çenesiz, Ayşenur
      Advisor
      Ergenç, Özer
      Date
      2021-08
      Publisher
      Bilkent University
      Language
      English
      Type
      Thesis
      Item Usage Stats
      705
      views
      509
      downloads
      Abstract
      In this thesis, the concept of namus (honor) as a regulative phenomenon in early modern Ottoman society and specifically for ordinary women are discussed. It focuses on which characteristic of women’s namus differed from the general view of it in the society: sexuality. Namus was a shared value for Ottoman society; thus, it functioned as both the set of values and the regulatory tool. In other words, it not only determined which values were appropriate for a person but also imposed sanctions on any inappropriate behavior and made a person namuslu (honorable) or namussuz (unhonorable) in the society. As the expressions from the archival sources (mostly arzuhals and sicil cases), related primary sources, and the academic literature are examined, it can be deduced that women’s namus was a fragile value reduced to sexuality in early modern Ottoman society. It should be protected, preserved, and conserved. This namus perception brings the protector/protected relationship along in which men were protectors and women were protected ones. This relationship can be examined in three intermingled layers: (1) A woman must protect her own namus. (2) Her family was responsible for protecting it. (3) At last, the society (village, neighborhood, etc.) was liable to protect women’s namus. In this three-layered relationship of protection, women's namus and their sexuality belonged to not only themselves but also their families and even to their society.
      Keywords
      Ottoman society
      Early modern era
      Namus
      Women
      Sexuality
      Permalink
      http://hdl.handle.net/11693/76465
      Collections
      • Dept. of History - Master's degree 223
      Show full item record

      Browse

      All of BUIRCommunities & CollectionsTitlesAuthorsAdvisorsBy Issue DateKeywordsTypeDepartmentsCoursesThis CollectionTitlesAuthorsAdvisorsBy Issue DateKeywordsTypeDepartmentsCourses

      My Account

      Login

      Statistics

      View Usage StatisticsView Google Analytics Statistics

      Bilkent University

      If you have trouble accessing this page and need to request an alternate format, contact the site administrator. Phone: (312) 290 2976
      © Bilkent University - Library IT

      Contact Us | Send Feedback | Off-Campus Access | Admin | Privacy