The Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA), Organisation of the Islamic Conference, is organising an international congress on "The Second Constitution/Meşrutiyet on its Centenary", to be held in Istanbul on 7-10 May 2008.

The Second Constitution/Meşrutiyet, proclaimed by the Ottoman State in 1908, was one of the turning points in the history of the Ottoman State and marked the beginning of processes that shaped the geo-political picture of the Middle East and the Balkans. In this congress, the Second Constitution and its aftermath will be analysed from inter-disciplinary perspectives, with regard to the historical background of the Second Constitution, the ensuing intellectual, cultural, literary, artistic etc. developments, and its repercussions ' its immediate and continuing impacts observed in the Muslim world and in the countries with which the Ottoman State held relations. The administrative and political transformations resulting from the process will be highlighted, the results of the ideological and intellectual dynamics involved will be evaluated. It is expected that the congress will bring new focuses into research on the subject, methods and references.

The main themes of the congress are attached. The sessions will be arranged thematically and each paper presentation will be allowed twenty minutes duration. The languages of the congress are English, French, Arabic and Turkish. Translation will be provided. A selection of the papers to be presented will be published as a book.

Prospective participants are invited to send the titles and the abstracts of their proposed papers by 31 December 2007 to:

Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA) Yıldız Sarayı, Seyir Köşkü Barbaros Bulvarı, 80700 Beşiktaş, Istanbul, Turkey

Email: congress@ircica.org

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"THE SECOND CONSTITUTIONAL PERIOD/MEŞRUTİYET ON ITS CENTENARY"
INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS
Istanbul, 7-10 May 2008

Main themes

I) Dynamics leading to the proclamation of the Constitution in 1908
1. Formation of the idea of the Constitution in the Muslim world (ideational currents in the Ottoman Empire, Iran and other regions)
2. Ideational currents and political movements (e.g. Ottomanism, Islamism, Westernism, Turkism; New Ottomans, Young Turks, centralization/decentralization)
3. Attempts at reform and renewal

II) The Constitution and its impact
1. The Young Turks movement and proclamation of the Constitution
2. The impact of the proclamation of the Constitution
a) on Ottoman State and society
b) in the Balkans
c) in the Middle East
d) in Central Asia
e) in North Africa

III) Ideological and political developments in the aftermath World War I
1. Movements of nationalism and independence (in the Muslim world, Turkistan, India, etc.)
2. The ascendancy of ideologies in the Muslim world (e.g. Socialism, Liberalism, Nationalism)
3. Democratisation processes and political parties
4. Legal developments, rights and liberties

Dr.Cengiz Tomar
Marmara University
Faculty of Arts and Sciences