Images of Imperial Legacy: Modern Discourses on the Social and Cultural Impact of Ottoman and Habsburg Rule in Southeastern Europe. Studien zur Geschichte, Kultur und Gesellschaft Südosteuropas

Abstract

Interpreting legacy as a system of signs and images, this volume questions the notions of ‘backwardness’ or ‘progress’, which undoubtedly have marked the common perception of the Ottoman and Habsburg heritage in Southeast Europe. This perception is heavily relied on the ideological and political context of its use and abuse, where a legacy, as a system of images, becomes a signifier of particular ideas and values. Interpreting the already well-known imagery of both imperial this volume is to be credited for questioning rather stereotypical interpretations of the Ottoman and Habsburg imperial legacies in Southeast Europe, generally temporalized and valued according to the barbarian versus civilized dichotomy. The role of visual culture in this representational system is tremendous, which underlines the importance of studying images and architecture as valuable historical source.