David Janociak

Thesis: Modern educational material and textbooks serves to construct a convoluted and
hazy structural framework for future understanding of Greece, the Ottomans, and the
Eastern Question.
Introduction:
Bush’s Greek War of Independence Speech
Ask: what do our student’s actually know of this event and the Balkans?
Body
1) How are the Balkans defined?
a. Representation of “The Balkans” as geographical area separate from
Europe or Asia.
i. Tie into the prevailing idea of in-betweens as an educational tool.
ii. Map in Glencoe World History pg 617 – The west divided into
separate nations with the continent of “Europe” while Balkans
noted as a singular whole.
b. Massive focus on violence and civil war
i. Construction and definition of a students understanding of Ethnic
cleansing become associated with Balkans.
ii. The teaching of modern ethnic cleansing and genocide become
intrinsically tied to lessons about the Baltic region.
2) What do students learn about the Greeks?
a. Greeks importance fades in relation to rise of the West
i. Construction of Greek identity is focused primarily on the Ancient
aspect and then disappears over time.
ii. The Greek War of Independence is an event very difficult to find
in student material. Vague reference made to Greek’s gaining
freedom but no explanation how.
iii. Constructed to seem that Greek society become irrelevant beyond
Ancient Greece. “Important” history becomes Western European
and American.
3) What do students know about the Ottoman Empire?
a. Islam and Ottoman’s consistently represented as opponents, conquerors.
i. “Defined as Gunpowder Empire” Tied to inherent need for
conquest
ii. Constructed as in constant opposition with Europe
iii. Ottoman’s as conquerors and Europeans as colonizers
iv. The Ottoman’s become defined by their military desire,
conquering prowess, encroachment on the Balkans and Europe.
v. Focus and definition of European culture and achievement while
Ottoman’s become defined through military, different religion, and
inherent problems within their Empire.
Conclusion:
Tie in a brief representation of Greeks, Balkans, and Turkey as backwards
Brief examination of Islamic fears and apprehensions and acknowledge their roots in
children’s social science education.
Additional resources:
Salter, Christopher L. Europe and Russia. Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 2007.

Spielvogel, Jackson J. World History. Glencoe, 2003.

World Cultures and Geography Western Hemisphere and Europe. McDougal Littell Inc.,

2003.