The Rural in Their Visions: Pastoral and Technological Imaginaries of the Late Ottoman Urbanites

Abstract

This article delves into the relatively rare field of late Ottoman rural imaginaries, focusing on rural studies discourse before the emergence of peasantry ideologies during the early Turkish Republican period. Through an analysis of publications, particularly Servet-i Fünûn (1891–1944), one of the longest-running illustrated journals, the study explores how rural spaces were imagined and mediated through both textual and visual forms. Through a close examination of texts and visuals, the study uncovers and conceptualises two entangled yet distinct rural imaginaries — pastoral and technological — interwoven in late Ottoman intellectual discourses. By reading Servet-i Fünûn as a site of spatial production, the article bridges architectural history and media studies, showing how publications served as discursive spaces where ideas of rural modernity were articulated. It traces how idyllic landscapes and escapist narratives coexisted with the emergence of scientific ruralism, mechanised agriculture, and model village planning, particularly in the wake of mass displacement in the late empire. These representations laid conceptual groundwork for Republican-era architectural interventions while remaining marked by a persistent urbanite gaze. The article argues that the rural was a dynamic site of projection and transformation, offering a critical rethinking of how architectural modernity emerged from late Ottoman media, ideology, and aspiration. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.