The Working Group "Ottoman Slavery" was initiated to bring together scholars who are dedicated to a common field of research. The aim of this working group is to provide scholars with the opportunity to meet and exchange ideas on the topic of slavery and other forms of asymmetrical dependencies in the Ottoman Empire. Members of the working group are doing research on slavery and asymmetrical dependencies in different periods and regions of the Ottoman Empire using various sources such as archival materials, travelogues, correspondences, and manuscripts. The research area of the group members ranges from non-elite household slaves to elite female slaves, child slaves as well as slave agency and mobility in the Black Sea region, Istanbul and other cities in the Ottoman Empire during the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries. The participants aim at incorporating their research on Ottoman Empire with recent scholarship and theoretical debates on slavery and asymmetrical dependencies.

The Working Group also plays a role as a platform where scholars can network and exchange knowledge. At regular meetings, participants talk about their ongoing projects, exchange questions, share source materials and focus on current discussions and debates concerning this topic. The Working Group is dedicated to contribute to the scholarship with future research papers of the members. Joint future activities and collaborations towards workshops, research and book projects are envisaged as long-term goals.