Victims and volunteers: Relief to Ottoman soldiers during the Balkan Crisis of 1875-1878

This dissertation focuses on the relief to Ottoman soldiers during the Balkan Crisis of 1875-1878. By analyzing the donation campaign, the formation of voluntary units and international aid, this dissertation reveals the social, cultural and political characteristics of the aid to the Ottoman army. Relying on archival sources and the newspapers of the period, this study positions the aid mechanisms within the power structures of the period and contributes to the field of research on the state-society relation of the late nineteenth century Ottoman history. Coinciding with the declaration of the First Constitution, the notions of volunteering and consent are interpreted in relation to the increasing patriotic rhetoric. Additionally, this research also elaborates on the international humanitarian networks and their dealings in the Ottoman Empire by analyzing the workings of two prominent British aid institutions (Stafford House Committee and National Aid Society) and the Ottoman Red Crescent Society to situate the aid efforts within the context of the phenomenon of modern humanitarianism.