Ottoman Elite Enslavement and "Social Death"

This chapter reviews three aspects of Ottoman elite enslavement, beginning with the issue of kul/harem honor/dishonor, moving on to their being 'socially dead', and ending with the notion of 'parasitism', that in fact enables a far more realistic understanding of Ottoman enslavement in general, not just its elite component. Orlando Patterson's insistence on dishonor as a major, indispensable element in the definition of enslavement is, to Ottoman historians, its main Achilles' heel. So, for a historian of the Ottoman Empire, the Patterson model of global enslavement conforms only partially to the realities of life in the sultans' domains. Since Patterson's misconception is predicated to a large extent on his notions of natal alienation, kinlessness, and social death, the problem posed by these is next on our agenda. A great deal of criticism has been leveled by historians of Islamic societies at Patterson's notions of social death and fictive kinship.