We are pleased to announce that the Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia will be hosting a Tobunken seminar with professor Gülay Yılmaz from Akdeniz University, Turkey, who has been a visiting researcher of this institute since January of this year.
Professor Yılmaz specializes in the study of the Ottoman janissary corps, with a focus on its recruitment system called devşirme. In this seminar, she will discuss the selection method and training process of boys under the devşirme system from a comparative perspective.
The seminar will be held both in person and online. To register for this event, please fill in the form.
Date and time: February 16, 2024 (Fri), 4:30pm~6:15pm
Venue: Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, 2nd Meeting Room (302)/Zoom
Speaker: Gülay Yılmaz (Akdeniz University)
Title: Forged in Battle: A Comparative Examination of Boyhood Transformation in the Devşirme System
Chair: Jun Akiba (IASA, U Tokyo)
Registration form: https://forms.gle/WVNwVGeDbsgkPrYVA (Deadline: February 15, 2024, 6pm)
Lecture Abstract:
This presentation begins on the devşirme system as a recruitment method, focusing on the selection strategies employed for boys and how they evolved from the fourteenth to the early seventeenth century. The second aspect of the investigation delves into the training process for boys transitioning into warriors. This inquiry encompasses traditional weapons training, assimilation into communal life within the barracks, and the reshaping of self-perception through concepts of prowess, brotherhood, and martyrdom. The presentation analyzes the intricate interplay between religious beliefs, martial training, and the construction of masculine identities. It focuses on iconic warrior groups including the janissaries, Japanese samurais, Knights Hospitalliers of Rhodes, and Mamluk warriors, drawing parallels in their experiences as professional soldiers from the medieval era to early modern era.
*This seminar is supported by JSPS Invitational Fellowships for Research in Japan.
Contact: Jun Akiba (IASA, j-akiba[at]ioc.u-tokyo.ac.jp）
