(Mutual) Exchanges: Ottoman and Islamic Architectural History and the West from 1500s to 1923

The seminar brings together leading scholars to explore intersections between Ottoman, Islamic and Western European architectural traditions from roughly the sixteenth-century until 1923, which marks the end of the Ottoman Empire. By highlighting cultural, social and political exchanges, the seminar challenges Eurocentric narratives that have long shaped architectural historiography. This critical reframing reveals architecture as a site of cross-cultural negotiation, rather than one of unilateral influence. Topics of exploration include design training, travel networks, visual archival material and the construction of space.

This seminar is organized by professor Elizabeth Merrill (UGhent) and Dilara Tuygar (UGhent) as part of a Specialist Course, funded by the Doctoral Schools Program of the University of Ghent.

Objectives of the Specialist Course:
The University of Ghent, and many other universities in Belgium, mainly focus on Western architectural history and theory. The seminar brings together scholars from the fields of history, art history, cultural studies, and urban theory, specialized in the Ottoman Empire. In fostering this interdisciplinary dialogue, it aims to promote a more inclusive understanding of global architectural history. The architectural heritage of the West can be critically examined through the Ottoman, and the broader Islamic world. Political, cultural, social and aesthetic exchanges will be highlighted to see how they shaped architectural forms across regions.
The main purpose of the course is to introduce participants to key concepts in this architectural exchange and to provide a platform for leading scholars to share current research on Ottoman and Islamic architectural history. The seminar will explore the role of architecture in expressing identity, power and diplomacy within the pre-modern Islamic and Ottoman context.
The course can be taken by PhD Students as part of the Doctoral Schools Courses but will be open to students and scholars from the Department of Architecture and Urban Planning and other Universities within Belgium. Interested parties outside these organizations may also register to attend the lectures.