6 The Slave, the Governor, and the Judge: An Ottoman Socio-Legal Drama from the Late Nineteenth Century

What is it about?

The trial reflects two major transformations that were part of the passage of Ottoman society to modernity: the abolition of slavery and judicial reform. The trial of Ali Eşref Efendi provides an opportunity to discuss some key features of Ottoman legal changes and how they were experienced by ordinary people who were forced to deal with the dilemmas brought about by new laws, major reforms, and a new legal culture.

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