Who were the New Greeks? How did they appear, and how was the phenomenon we define as New Hellenism historically formed? Through what historical processes did the New Greeks differentiate themselves from the Ottoman system of dominance while simultaneously distinguishing themselves from other Balkan ethno-cultural groups?

This book deals with the birth and formation journey of various social groups and populations, who – through different historical processes – shaped the phenomenon of New Hellenism. The general framework within which each individual analysis is set is the relationships between subjugated Greeks, Ottoman rulers, and Europeans, in their respective historical expressions.

In this context, the New Greeks were historically shaped through successive differentiations from the Ottoman framework, without possessing homogeneous characteristics among them from the outset. The book analyzes all forms of differentiation ‒ social, economic, ideological, and broadly cultural ‒ for each social group and in each broader geographical area separately.

The activities of these groups in each area ultimately shaped a distinct economic and cultural space within the Ottoman Empire, the space of New Hellenism.

This study has been composed in such a way as to allow readers, as much as possible, to participate mentally in the formation of the problematic, as it developed during the research. This mental participation is facilitated by the reference to the questions that were raised anyway, even though some remain unanswered due to a lack of evidence.

It is also facilitated by the necessary reflective aspect of any research or the critical rejection of certain foundational interpretations of Greek and foreign historiography regarding the New Greeks. Finally, it is important for the reader to know that the general aim of this book is, in its broadest sense, political. That is, an intervention in the present, aiming at the formation of a historiographical proposal that can contribute to the establishment of a rational, critical historical consciousness among Greek citizens today.