Revitalizing Ottoman Equine Heritage: Transformation of 19th Century Horse Breeding Practices and Their Impacts on the Ottoman Empire

Date

2023-4-28

Author

Halaçoğlu, Canan

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This dissertation investigates the historical significance of horses in various contexts, such as economic, social, scientific, and military domains, and their influence on human-animal relations. The thesis of this study posits that the interaction between humans and horses shows a biopolitical shift that occurred during the 16th-19th centuries in Europe, with the Ottoman Empire adapting to these changes. The study highlights the impact of humans on this interaction and their attempts to regulate it through modern state apparatus and veterinary science. To further elaborate on this thesis, it examines the evolving attitudes towards horses, breeding, and horse care in the European context and the biopolitical approach that emerged as a result. This approach involved the use of modern state apparatus, scientific practices, and veterinary medicine to manage horse populations and their role in society. Subsequently, the study explores the Ottoman Empire's approach to horse management and adaptation to the changing European attitudes toward horses. The Ottoman Empire faced a "horse problem" and utilized similar methods to the European model, such as state stud farms, veterinary schools, and statistics. By examining the impact of horses on human-animal relations and the biopolitical approach to managing them, this study provides a comprehensive understanding of the historical significance of horses in various contexts. Additionally, it sheds light on the ways in which human attitudes and practices towards animals can shape the biopolitical landscape and have far-reaching consequences. Ultimately, the study contributes to the broader discourse on animal agency and its relation to human history.

Subject Keywords

Horses, Animal History, Biopolitics, Ottoman Horses

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/102875

Collections

Graduate School of Social Sciences, Thesis