Possibilities and Limits: Reading Garabed Panosyan's Armeno-Turkish Münadi-yi Erciyes as an Ottoman Newspaper (1859-1862)

This dissertation critically analyzes an Armeno-Turkish periodical, Münadi-yi Erciyes (Herald of Argeus), issued in Istanbul between 1859 and 1862 by Garabed Panosyan, an Ottoman Armenian from Kayseri (Caesarea). The principal aim of this research is to contextualize Münadi-yi Erciyes within a comprehensive thematic and historical framework, thereby elucidating its role and potential contributions to the processes of modernization within the Ottoman Empire during the nineteenth century. Methodologically, the study incorporates textual analysis, contextual historical analysis, and sociocultural critique. By examining the identity and cultural initiatives of Panosyan, the research aims to delineate the thematic, formal, and linguistic features of the periodical. Münadi-yi Erciyes exemplifies that Armeno-Turkish publishing was not solely a media enterprise but also represented a significant cultural endeavor that fostered modernization among various groups within Ottoman society. The findings indicate that the periodical played a crucial functional role in the broader modernization initiatives of both the Armenian community and the empire at large. Accordingly, this study seeks to contribute to the historiography of the Ottoman press by exploring Armenian engagement with the empire's modernization efforts and their distinctive experiences as mediated through print media, thereby opening new pathways for scholarly inquiry.