The (Re)Construction of the Image of "the Turk" in America, 1863-1963

Abstract

This study delves into the history of transatlantic relations between the United States and Turkey by foregrounding the function of literary texts in the conduct of diplomacy. It highlights the role that individuals and civil institutions played in the course of affairs by reconstructing the image of Turkey and Turks in the United States between 1863 and 1963. It begins by tracing the history of American institutions, particularly Robert College and the Constantinople Woman’s College, in the Ottoman Empire. Based on an analysis of works written by the founders and leading educators of these schools, with Cyrus Hamlin and Mary Mills Patrick occupying the most important place among them, the transformation of American institutions in the Ottoman Empire and the effects of these changes are discussed with an emphasis on their impact on Turkish-American relations. Within this framework, the autobiographical works written by the alumni of these schools, including Halide Edib Adıvar, and their contemporaries, constitute the primary sources for this study, as they represent the first cohort of Turkish writers who published works for American readers. A close reading of their works sheds light on the details of diplomatic, social, and cultural relations between Turkey and the United States in the aftermath of the First World War. As they endeavored to claim authority over representation of Turks in America, they challenged narrative hegemonies such as American Orientalism, the prevailing negative image of Turks, as well as grand narratives in the form of official histories in both countries. This dissertation concludes with a case study of the Turkish Information Office, a public diplomacy initiative that made use of both fictional and non-fictional texts to promote Turkey in America.