Examining sectarian divergence in the early modern Middle East, Ayşe
Baltacıoğlu-Brammer's study provides a fresh perspective on the
Sunni–Shi'i division. Drawing on Ottoman Turkish, Persian, and European
sources, Boundaries of Belonging: Sectarianism and Statecraft in the Early Modern Ottoman Empire
(Cambridge University Press, 2026) explores the paradox of an Ottoman
state that combined rigid ideological discourses with pragmatic
governance. Through an analysis of key figures, events, periods, and
policies, Boundaries of Belonging reveals how political, economic, and
religious forces intersected, challenging simplistic sectarian binaries.
Baltacıoğlu-Brammer provides a comprehensive historical account of
Ottoman governance during the long sixteenth century, focusing on its
relationship with non-Sunni Muslim subjects, particularly the Qizilbash.
As both the founders of the Safavid Empire and the largest
Shiʿi-affiliated group within the Ottoman realm, the Qizilbash occupied a
crucial yet often misunderstood position. Boundaries of Belonging
examines their role within the empire, challenging the notion that they
were merely persecuted outsiders by highlighting their agency in shaping
imperial policies, negotiating their status, and influencing the
Ottoman–Safavid rivalry in Anatolia, Kurdistan, and Iraq, and western
Iran.
