Minority debates on the future of the Ottoman Empire: Greek and Armenian nationalist thought

Abstract

Nationalist revolutions claimed the secession of parts of the Ottoman territory and the establishment of sovereign nation-states. Greeks and Armenians were two among the biggest minority groups which straddled over a part of the Ottoman territory. They were both influenced by the presence of strong Diaspora communities in Western, Central and Eastern Europe (including Russia) that proved critical in the dissemination of nationalist ideas. Nevertheless, there is a striking difference in the way the two nationalist movements unfold. This paper aims to discuss the reasons why Greek and Armenian nationalism developed along different lines.