Consumption Studies and the History of the Ottoman Empire, 1550-1992 ― An Introduction

Nine essays explore the rise of mass fashion dress, changing fashions in clothing, the transcultural significance of tulip consumption, the rise of print advertising, the use of food as a marker of elite status, and the emergence of photographs as a consumer commodity in the Turkish-based empire. They focus mostly on the capital Istanbul during the 18th and 19th centuries, but also consider different consumer models that developed in the emerging port cities of Salonica, Izmire, and Beirut. Consumer studies are gaining popularity as a measure of modern culture. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Donald Quataert is Professor of History, Binghamton University. He has written many books, including Syria: Its Society, History, and Culture (coedited with Richard Antoun), also published by SUNY Press, and Ottoman Empire: Society and Economy 1300–1914 (coedited with Halil Inalcik).