Constructing masculinity in the Ottoman and Japanese modernization projects

The nineteenth century is a century in which the economy, politics and social life have changed rapidly. It quickly differentiated from former centuries and built the next century. Today's gender perspective and both femininities and masculinities were constructed in this century. Hegemonic masculinity, an ideal masculinity which holds the power, is a changing masculinity, like other masculinities. It is directly related to politics and social structure. Therefore, in the historical moments when power transforms and becomes blurred, hegemonic masculinity becomes blurred as well and it even disappears. The hegemonic masculinity of the previous century has disappeared along with the transformation of society in the modernization projects of East, however, new hegemonic masculinity has not yet been constructed. In this thesis, Tanzimat and Meiji Restoration periods will be examined and compared through six novels of the period, in relation to intersectionality between competing masculinities and politics and cultural transformation. In the analysis of the masculinities of this period, hegemonic masculinity will not be sought and Tanzimat and Meiji Restoration Periods will be analyzed as transition periods and examined through their differentiation from the past and their ability to build the future. Keywords: Ottoman, Japan, masculinities, modernization, novel.