The Ottoman Empire and the Brussels Anti-Slavery Conference of 1889–1890

My research project explores the Ottoman Empire’s participation in the Brussels Anti-Slavery Conference of 1889-1890. I approach the conference not just as a moment in the history of abolition but as a site where competing imperial, legal and racial projects intersected. I focus on how the Ottoman delegation navigated these tensions to defend imperial sovereignty and delay abolitionist commitments. The project pays close attention to the behavior and autonomy of Ottoman diplomats, especially in relation to European powers. Ultimately, I argue that the Ottoman Empire engaged with humanitarian discourse strategically rather than passively absorbing European norms in the international arena.