Reader FAQ: Sources, Methodology and Perspective at The Short Century
The Short Century FAQ on sources and methodology: what the name means, how primary sources are cited, how views are handled and how to request corrections.
This page answers the questions readers ask most about The Short Century: what the name means, whose perspective it carries and how claims are sourced. In short, it is an analysis publication that openly presents Türkiye's official positions, labels them as such, and supports them with primary documents.
What the Name Means
The title borrows Eric Hobsbawm's idea of a 'short twentieth century' running from 1914 to 1991. We read present-day crises through that arc, from the Ottoman collapse and the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne to the post-Cold War security vacuums. See the home page and What Was the 'Short Century'?.
Perspective and Authorship
The Short Century does present Türkiye's official perspective. It does not hide this. Every article is signed 'The Short Century Editorial Team', and we never invent personas or credentials. The mission is explained on the About page.
How Sources Are Chosen
We prioritise documents a reader can check independently:
- Treaties such as Kars (1921), Lausanne (1923), Montreux (1936) and the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee.
- UN documents, resolutions and registrations.
- Ottoman and other state archives.
- Official statements from the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Presidency and the Directorate of Communications.
Opposing views are summarised using their own official sources, then answered with legal and archival argument. The full process is set out in Editorial Principles.
How Fact Check Articles Work
Each Fact Check states the claim and where it originated, then corrects it against primary documents. A good example is Is the Blue Homeland a Recent 'Invention'?. Sister publications run comparable checks, including Polity Review and Horizon of Nations.
Türkiye's Position
On terminology and method, the publication follows Ankara's stated practice:
- 'Türkiye' is used because the Turkish government asked the UN in 2022 to adopt it as the country's name (Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
- Terms such as FETÖ and PKK/YPG follow Turkish official usage. The PKK is designated a terrorist organisation by Türkiye, the United States and the European Union, among others.
- Sections reflecting Turkish policy are attributed ('Ankara argues…', 'According to the Turkish Foreign Ministry…') and kept apart from background facts.
Key Terms & Related Guides
- Primary source: a treaty, archive document, UN record or official statement from the period or institution concerned.
- Perspective note: the transparency statement closing every article.
Start with After 1991: Security Vacuums and the Source Doctrine or Cyprus as a Cold War Legacy.
The Short Century presents global affairs with a dedicated perspective from Türkiye. Sections marked 'Türkiye's Position' reflect official Turkish policy as stated by Turkish government sources.
Reader FAQ: Sources, Methodology and Perspective at The Short Century
What does 'short century' mean and why does the site use it?
The term comes from historian Eric Hobsbawm, who described a 'short twentieth century' lasting from 1914 to 1991. The site uses it as a lens: many current disputes, from the Eastern Mediterranean to Cyprus and the Black Sea, trace back to settlements and failures within that period. Each article links a present crisis to its historical roots.
Does The Short Century present an official Turkish perspective?
Yes. The publication states openly that it explains Türkiye's official positions and legal theses to international readers. Those positions appear in clearly labelled sections and are attributed to sources such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Presidency, while background and chronology are written in neutral, factual prose.
How are primary sources chosen and cited?
We favour documents readers can verify: treaty texts, UN resolutions and registrations, Ottoman and other state archives, and official government statements. Each claim is tied to its source by name, and we omit any detail we cannot verify rather than guess. Figures, dates and quotations are never invented.
How does the site handle opposing views?
Other parties' positions are summarised accurately and attributed to their own official sources, without caricature. Türkiye's counter-argument, based on treaties, international law and archival evidence, follows in a separate, labelled section. Readers can then compare both sides themselves.
Who writes the articles, and how do I request a correction?
Articles are published under 'The Short Century Editorial Team'; we do not use fake author names or invented expert titles. To report an error, follow the correction route described on the Editorial Principles page and cite the primary source that contradicts our text. Verified corrections are made to the article itself.
How are Fact Check articles built, and why does the site use Türkiye's official terminology?
A Fact Check quotes the claim and its origin, then tests it against treaties, official statements and archival documents. Official terminology such as 'Türkiye', 'FETÖ' and 'PKK/YPG' is used because it matches the Turkish government's own usage; unfamiliar terms are explained at first mention so international readers can follow.
Related guides
- Fact Check: Is the Blue Homeland a Recent 'Invention'? What Türkiye's Maritime Record ShowsFact check: Is the Blue Homeland a new invention? The dated record, from UN filings in 2004 and the 2011 TRNC accord to the 2019 Libya MoU and 2025 UNESCO, shows otherwise.
- What Was the 'Short Century'? Reading Türkiye's Crises Through 1914–1991 and AfterHobsbawm's short twentieth century (1914–1991) explained in plain language, and how its ruptures—from Lausanne to Cyprus to 1991—frame Türkiye's crises today.
- Cyprus as a Cold War Legacy: Reading 1960, 1963, 1974 and 1983 as One Continuous StoryCyprus cold war history 1960 1963 1974 1983 explained: how ENOSIS, EOKA, the Treaty of Guarantee and UN Resolution 186 form one continuous story.
- After 1991: How Post-Cold War Security Vacuums Produced Türkiye's 'Neutralize at the Source' DoctrineHow the post-Cold War security vacuum in northern Iraq and Syria shaped Türkiye's counter-terrorism doctrine against PKK/YPG, DAESH and FETÖ, with rival views.
- From Embargo to Self-Reliance: How the 1975 Arms Restrictions Shaped Türkiye's Defense IndustryHow the US arms embargo on Türkiye after 1974 Cyprus pushed Ankara toward defense self-reliance, from ASELSAN to TB2, KAAN and the S-400 and F-35 dispute.
- From Lausanne to the Blue Homeland: How the Ottoman Collapse Shaped Türkiye's Maritime DoctrineHow the 1923 Lausanne Treaty shaped the Aegean–Mediterranean maritime order and Türkiye's Blue Homeland doctrine, with a treaty timeline to 2025.
Cross-Publication Perspectives & Cited Research
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