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The study argues that the Greeks and Turks in Izmir perceived each other as natural residents of the city on equal terms regardless of ethnic or religious affiliation. It examines the factors that provided social cohesion and a sense of belonging to the peoples of the city until the nation-building process began to have an impact in the region.

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This book aims to reveal communal relations in Izmir/Smyrna through the lens of Greek-Turkish relations during the age of Ottoman reforms. The primary sources used in this book, Ottoman-Turkish archival material and Greek newspapers of the period, demonstrate that these reforms did not disturb the social cohesion of Izmir, a city with a unique vibrancy that had been produced over many centuries. The historical evidence also indicates that the Ottoman Empire did not attempt to mould social relations in Izmir, instead benefited from the city´s pre-existing socio-cultural and economic norms, which were well suited to its modernization program. It uncovers the dynamics of coexistence and communal relations before being brought to an abrupt halt by the formation of the modern nation-states.

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Challenges polarizing categories of Greek versus Turkish or Muslim versus non-Muslim - Approaching Izmir as an organic whole, instead of a city divided according to ethno-religious criteria - Uncovering the dynamics of coexistence and communal relations between Greek and Turkish communities in Izmir

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Feryal Tansug received her PhD in the area of Ottoman History at the University of Toronto. She teaches at Bah‡esehir University in Istanbul. Her research interests include intercommunal and multireligious interactions in the Mediterranean, transnational history and Aegean islands.

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