Modernisation And Westernisation Analysis

A century of Change: Modernisation/ Westernisation
The nineteenth century marks an important period of Ottoman history. It encapsulates influences and impacts of outside cultures on the Ottoman culture. Prominent art historian Wendy Shaw states: Cultures around the world have amalgamated Western and modern practices with local ones. In doing so, they have given birth to a multitude of sibling modernities which might be considered, after Louise Althusser, as differential: a displacement which takes place when, while the modes of production of a society change through external forces such as colonialism (or in the case of Turkey, top-down revolutionary reformism).
In making this comment, Shaw basically argues that cross-cultural interactions

Nikogas Balian (son of the principal architecture of the Dolmabahce Palace) designed the famous Büyük Mecidiye mosque at Ortaköy. (Appendix 6) He used baroque designs on its exterior’s surface, sculpted with rich patterns while its interior remains delicately composed with light pastel colors. This mosque reflects “East-West synthesis of the nineteenth century” as Yeomans explains. He further claims: It could be argued that the grace and charm of the Ortaköy mosque lacks sanctity, and this raises the question of whether Westernisation secularises Ottoman religious buildings.
The essence of Yeomans’ argument is that Westernisation has indeed affected many aspects of Ottoman culture including religious ones.

To conclude, Ottoman reformation brought about various aspects of modernity to the Empire some of which directly affected by cross-cultural encounters. These encounters heavily reflect the relationship Western leaders had with Ottoman Sultans. The latter attempted to exhibit power and progress through urban modes of expression and through arts in the form of portraits both of which were distinctive components of Ottoman