Conflict, Democratization, and the Kurds in the Middle East : Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria

his edited volume contains a collection of essays from many of the most well-known, accomplished scholars working on the Kurdish issue and questions of democratization. It is divided into four sections. Section I focuses on the Kurds and barriers to democratization and democratic deficits in Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria. Section II, "Democracy in Divided Societies," turns to existing academic literature, theories, and examples of multiethnic societies and democratic transitions for guidance. Section III, "The Kurds and Democratization," attempts to place more emphasis on Kurdish demands and the possibilities for democratization in Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria. The final, fourth section of the volume draws readers' attention to the transborder nature of the Kurdish issue and how events in South, North, West, and East Kurdistan all impact each other. Contributors to the first section of the volume, "Authoritarianism and the Kurds," were asked to focus on the ways in which the Kurdish issue in Turkey, Iraq, Iran, or Syria was securitized and served to hinder democratization. All four contributors to this section were thus asked to focus a bit more on the negative side of a complex, multifaceted issue. Chapter 1, by Michael Gunter, therefore concentrates on the "deep state" in Turkey, and how until quite recently an unelected shadow state of elites in that country prevented any democratic reforms that might recognize the Kurds, return to them their rights, and truly incorporate them into the political system. Chapter 2, by Ozum Yesiltas, focuses on how Arab nationalists there viewed any compromise with the Kurds as the beginning of a slippery slope toward Kurdish secession, leading to a long history of authoritarian repression and 1. Front Matter....Pages i-ix Introduction: The Kurds as Barrier or Key to Democratization....Pages 1-14 Front Matter....Pages 15-15 Turkey, Kemalism, and the “Deep State”....Pages 17-39 Iraq, Arab Nationalism, and Obstacles to Democratic Transition....Pages 41-57 Kurds, Persian Nationalism, and Shi’i Rule: Surviving Dominant Nationhood in Iran....Pages 59-84 The Syrian-Kurdish Movements: Obstacles Rather Than Driving Forces for Democratization....Pages 85-107 Front Matter....Pages 109-109 Democracy, Civil War, and the Kurdish People Divided between Them....Pages 111-128 Communal Groups, Civil Conflict, and Democratization in Latin America....Pages 129-140 Democracy and Self-Determination in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq....Pages 141-168 Front Matter....Pages 169-169 The Ebb and Flow of Armed Conflict in Turkey: An Elusive Peace....Pages 171-188 The Iraqi Kurdish View on Federalism: Not Just for the Kurds....Pages 189-209 Between a Rock and a Hard Place: The Kurdish Dilemma in Iran....Pages 211-224 The Emergence of Western Kurdistan and the Future of Syria....Pages 225-246 Front Matter....Pages 247-247 From War to Democracy: Transborder Kurdish Conflict and Democratization....Pages 249-265 Ankara, Erbil, Baghdad: Relations Fraught with Dilemmas....Pages 267-282 Back Matter....Pages 283-322 This volume examines how the Kurdish issue has acted as both an impediment and impetus to democratization in Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria. In Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria, central governments historically pursued mono-nationalist ideologies and repressed Kurdish identity. As evidenced by much unrest and a great many Kurdish revolts in all these states since the 1920s, however, the Kurds manifested strong resistance towards ethnic chauvinism. What sorts of authoritarian state policies have Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria relied on to contain the Kurds over the years? Can meaningful democratization and liberalization in any of these states occur without a fundamental change vis-a-vis their Kurdish minorities? To what extent does the Kurdish issue function as both a barrier and key to democratization in four of the most important states of the Middle East? While many commentators on the Middle East stress the importance of resolving the Arab-Israeli dispute for achieving 'peace in the Middle East, ' this book asks whether or not the often overlooked Kurdish issue may constitute a more important fulcrum for change in the region, especially in light of the 'Arab Spring' and recent changes in Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria In Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria, central governments historically pursued mono-nationalist ideologies and repressed Kurdish identity. As evidenced by much unrest and a great many Kurdish revolts in all these states since the 1920s, however, the Kurds manifested strong resistance towards ethnic chauvinism. What sorts of authoritarian state policies have Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria relied on to contain the Kurds over the years? Can meaningful democratization and liberalization in any of these states occur without a fundamental change vis-à-vis their Kurdish minorities? To what extent does the Kurdish issue function as both a barrier and key to democratization in four of the most important states of the Middle East? While many commentators on the Middle East stress the importance of resolving the Arab-Israeli dispute for achieving 'peace in the Middle East,' this book asks whether or not the often overlooked Kurdish issue may constitute a more important fulcrum for change in the region, especially in light of the 'Arab Spring' and recent changes in Turkey, Iraq, Iran and Syria. "Leading experts on contemporary Kurdish affairs bring us up to date on the prospects for democracy and peace for Kurds and the states in which they principally reside. With sensitivity to the cultures and histories of the Middle East, essays closely analyze developments inside each country and in transnational Kurdish interactions. Truly comparative and theoretically informed by the larger scholarly literature, this collection is a valuable resource for scholars interested in comparative ethnic politics, nationalism and self-determination, democratization, civil war, and civil peace."--Philip G. Roeder, University of California, USA