Imperial Meanderings and Republican By-Ways is a collection of essays by Dr. Robert Olson on the Ottoman and Turkish history of the 18th and 20th centuries. The first part of the book comprises articles on the history of the Ottoman Empire in the 18th century, which mainly focus on the Tulip Period and its consequences. Jews and their role in this period as well as the influential rebellions of the time are other issues of emphasis in the first part. The articles in the second part of the book, on the other hand, discuss the 20th century Ottoman and Turkish history, particularly Kurdish-Ottoman and Kurdish-Turkish relations. Comprising broad historical evidences and alternative points of view, this book is an essential guide for understanding the contemporary Asia Minor and the Middle East.

• TABLE OF CONTENTS (page 9)
• NOTES ON TRANSLITERATION AND SPELLING (page 12)
• PREFACE (page 13)
• INTRODUCTION (page 15)
• THE ESNAF AND THE PATRONA HALIL REBELLION OF 1730: A REALIGNMENT IN OTTOMAN POLITICS? (page 19)
• JEWS,JANISSARIES,ESNAF AND THE REVOLT OF 1740 IN ISTANBUL: SOCIAL UPHEAVAL AND POLITICAL REALIGNMENT IN THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE (page 31)
• JEWS IN THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE AND THEIR ROLE IN LIGHT OF NEW DOCUMENTS: (page 51)
• THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY AND THE FRAGMENTATION OF TRADITION (page 73)
• SOME COMMENTS ON EIGHTEENTH CENTURY OTTOMAN HISTORIOGRAPHY (page 79)
• THE OTTOMAN-FRENCH TREATY OF 1740: A YEAR TO BE REMEMBERED? (page 93)
• CONCLUSION: THE AFTERMATH IN PERSIA (page 101)
• THE YOUNG TURKS AND THE JEWS: A HISTORIOGRAPHICAL REVISION (page 119)
• THE REMAINS OF TALAT: A DIALECTIC BETWEEN REPUBLIC AND EMPIRE (page 137)
• FIVE STAGES OF KURDISH NATIONALISM: 1880-1980 (page 145)
• THE SECOND TIME AROUND: BRITISH POLICY TOWARD THE KURDS(1921-22 ) (page 165)
• THE CHURCHILL-COX CORRESPONDENCE AND THE 'BATTLE' OVER KURDISTAN: IS CONSEQUENCES FOR BRITISH POLICY TOWARDS TURKEY,1921-1923 (page 175)
• THE INTERNATIONAL CONSEQUENCES OF THE SHEIK SAIT REBELLION (page 193)
• FOREIGN POLICY OF THE SOVIET UNION TOWARD THE TURKOMAN REBELLION IN EASTERN IRAN IN 1924-1925 AND THE KURDISH REBELLION OF SHAYKH SAID IN EASTERN TURKEY IN 1925: A COMPARISON (page 221)
• KURDS AND TURKS: TWO DOCUMENTS CONCERNING KURDISH AUTONOMY IN 1922 AND 1923 (page 231)
• AL-FATAH IN TURKEY: ITS INFLUENCE ON THE MARCH 12 COUP (page 243)
• THE KURDISH QUESTION IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE GULF WAR: GEOPOLITICAL AND GEOSTRATEGIC CHANGES IN THE MIDDLE EAST (page 255)
• THE KURDISH QUESTION AND THE KURDISH PROBLEM: SOME GEOPOLITIC AND GEOSTRATEGIC COMPARISONS (page 285)
• THE KURDISH QUESTION AND TURKEY'S FOREIGN POLICY,1991-1995: FROM THE GULF WAR TO THE INCURSION INTO IRAQ (page 311)
• THE KURDISH QUESTION AND CHECHYA: TURKISH AND RUSSIAN FOREIGN POLICIES SINCE THE GULF WAR (page 337)