The Crossroads of East and West: Byzantine and Ottoman Constantinople

In this course we will look at Istanbul’s multi-layered historic past during its thousand years as a capitol of the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires. We will survey the city’s changing social and religious landscapes as well as the complex relationships among Christians, Muslims, and Jews, considering the city during the reigns of Constantine and Suleyman the Magnificent, among others, and ending with an examination of 1950s demolition projects. By the end of this course, students will have an understanding of the city’s diverse religious communities and their relationships to one another, and they will learn how to analyze the form and growth of a city. 3 hrs. lect.