Original air date: 12 April 2013 | During the nineteenth century, imperial states became increasingly concerned with the management of disease and resources. For the Ottoman Empire, the issues of disease and water converged on the hajj pilgrimage, which brought annual throngs of thirsty disease vectors to the Hijaz region. In this podcast, Michael Christopher Low examines the su meselesi or “water issue” of the Ottoman Empire during the Hamidian era and its importance for understanding the ecological transformation of Saudi Arabia over the past century.

Select Bibliography

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