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12. Formation of Kurdish Nationalist Movement in Turkey: From Social Movement Theories Perspective
- Author:
- Rahman Dag
- Publication Date:
- 07-2018
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- The Rest: Journal of Politics and Development
- Institution:
- Centre for Strategic Research and Analysis (CESRAN)
- Abstract:
- Current politics in Turkey proves that the roots of the Kurdish question have to be taken under strict examination in order to diagnose the problem so that a permanent solution might be found. With this in mind, this paper tries to explain the emergence of the pro-Kurdish nationalist movement, the PKK, via social movement theories. What makes this paper significant is that it examines the process of emergence in three phases via three different social movement theories. For Turkey’s single party era (1923-1950), relative deprivation theory is applied. In the second phase, political opportunity theory is matched with the onset of the multi-party system under the rule of the Democrat Party (1950-1960). Finally resource mobilization theory is applied to the time period between 1960 and 1980. In general, the theoretical approaches chosen are selected in accordance with certain socio-political realities of Turkey. This helps to explain how an ethnic minority ended up with a socially – but not legally – representative organization when they are relatively deprived and obstructed politically. If not all, a certain amount of mobilization of the Kurdish people could result in a social movement, be it is legal or illegal.
- Topic:
- Nationalism, Social Movement, Minorities, and Community
- Political Geography:
- Europe, Turkey, and Asia
13. Policy Change for the Displaced Kurds in Turkey: Europeanization and Conditionality
- Author:
- Onder Canveren
- Publication Date:
- 10-2016
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal:
- Turkish Journal of Middle Eastern Studies
- Institution:
- Sakarya University (SAU)
- Abstract:
- International and regional organizations can act as persuasive actors with re- gard to minority rights in a given country by raising awareness, putting the issue on agenda, and endorsing a new platform in a country which may lead to a policy change. Despite the general observation that Turkey’s Europeanizati- on process has had limited impact on the minority issues in Turkey, there are numerous examples that the European Union (EU) has played a constructive role in improving of rights and fundamental freedoms for the Kurdish populace living in Turkey. The Law on Compensation for Damage Arising from Terror passed in 2004 is a case worth addressing in order to ascertain both the symbo- lic and discursive policy change. The aim of this article is to explain how the EU used democratic tools to promote change in Turkey’s political structure for the displaced Kurds. The Europeanization of Turkey, based on specific con- ditionality, is taken as primarily responsible for granted for the shift and the policy change. In this policy-oriented case study, hypotheses from Rationalist and Constructivist Approaches in Europeanization literature are investigated to explain the causes and constitutive relations of the policy shift from repudiate to compensation.
- Topic:
- Migration, Regional Cooperation, Minorities, and European Union
- Political Geography:
- Europe, Turkey, and Asia
14. Kurdistan: An Invisible Nation
- Author:
- Stefano Maria Torelli
- Publication Date:
- 06-2016
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI)
- Abstract:
- Spread across Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran, Kurdistan is one of the hottest geopolitical areas in the Middle East. It is a land inhabited by over 30 million people, representing one of the largest stateless "nations" worldwide. The Kurds play a crucial role in the region, and the so-called "Kurdish factor" has constantly been a key ingredient of recent Middle East crises: from the wars in Iraq under Saddam Hussein to the fight against the so-called Islamic State. Not to mention the strategic relevance that Kurdistan assumes as one of the oil-richest areas in the region. What new balances would an eventual victory of Kurds over IS create? What are the long-term goals of the Kurdish community? How to reach a solution to the Kurdish question able to satisfy all the actors involved? Can we envisage a common future for the Kurds or will they remain tied to the political destinies of the countries they live in? These are just some of the questions that this report tries to answer collecting contributions from leading international experts.
- Topic:
- Minorities, Geopolitics, Islamic State, and Stateless Population
- Political Geography:
- Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Middle East, Syria, and Kurdistan
15. The Turkmens of the Middle East
- Author:
- Ersan Hurmuzlu
- Publication Date:
- 06-2015
- Content Type:
- Journal Article
- Institution:
- ARI Movement
- Abstract:
- The Turkmens, descendents of the Oghuz confederation of Turkic-speaking nomadic tribes of the early Middle Ages, are currently scattered across the Middle East and Central Asia. Focusing on the Turkmen populations of Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, and Iran, the author delves into their situation as minority groups who are barred from political participation and from expressing their cultural identity. This plight has only been exacerbated for the Iraqi Turkmens since the rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). In order to overcome socio-political marginalization, the author advocates for Turkmens to unite and form linkages with other minority groups.
- Topic:
- Culture, Minorities, Identities, and Marginalization
- Political Geography:
- Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Middle East, Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria
16. What the EU can do to support further minority protection in Turkey
- Author:
- Gözde Yilmaz
- Publication Date:
- 04-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Kolleg-Forschergruppe (KFG)
- Abstract:
- Considering the recent developments in the EU member states, such as French dismantling of Roma camps, minority protection within the EU has increasingly become questionable. Although the EU often neglects the track record of member states' records in minority rights, minority protection has increasingly received EU's attention in the accession process of Central and Eastern European Countries (CEECs). Minority discontent as a potential threat to the stability of Europe in the aftermath of the Cold War has triggered the EU to focus on minority rights. However, the improvement of minority rights in candidate countries remains limited, especially considering the implementation of minority rules adopted in the pre-accession process.
- Topic:
- Ethnic Conflict, Human Rights, Islam, and Minorities
- Political Geography:
- Europe and Turkey
17. Turkish Societal Perceptions Concerning Combat Against PKK Terrorism
- Author:
- Salih Akyürek and Mehmet Ali Yilmaz
- Publication Date:
- 09-2012
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- BILGESAM (Wise Men Center for Strategic Studies)
- Abstract:
- During 2008-2009, BILGESAM conducted a thorough research in which 8,607 were polled from 17 different eastern and south-eastern provinces, along with a relatively high number of migrants of these regions in Istanbul and Mersin, and this research was presented under the title, “A Sociological Analysis of the South-eastern Question”. Later, results from this inquiry were incorporated into the, “What are the Kurds and Zazas thinking about? Perceptions on Common Values and Symbols” report and this report was presented to the public. Concerning the democratic opening process was BILGESAM’s publication of (Ret.) Ambassador Özdem Sanberk’s analysis, “Democratization, Political and Social Solidarity Opening for the Solution of the Kurdish Question” and the Wise Men Board report, “The Democratic Opening and Social Perceptions”. During the 2009-2010 period and within the eastern and south-eastern parts of Anatolia where a majority of Kurds resides, BILGESAM conducted a survey in 19 provinces and migrant-heavy Mersin, along with 5 provinces in the western part of Turkey, where 192 people in total were interviewed as to establish a comprehensive sampling as possible. Consequently, these interview results were published within the book, “Kurds in Turkey and Social Perceptions”. In order to ascertain the ethnic/religious composition of regional neighborhoods where Kurdish majorities reside, BILGESAM published the 2010 report, “The Ethnic and Religious Identity Composition of 19 Turkish Provinces in the Eastern and South-eastern parts of Anatolia”. BILGESAM, trying to partake in the resolution of the Kurdish Question has developed a comprehensive strategy that takes into consideration four different dimensions of the issue. This strategy was encapsulated in a Wise Men Board report and its contents made available for the public and decision-makers’ benefit in 2011 with the title, “Turkey’s Counter-Terrorism Strategy against the PKK”. Following up this report, and to complement its religious/ethnic lines of argument, was the “Conflict Resolution Approaches and the Kurdish Question in Turkey” report. With this new survey report, BILGESAM is continuing to follow the developments around the Kurdish Question. To understand and quantify the societal perception of the Turkish state’s counter terror operations and the democratic opening process, BILGESAM surveyed 2922 people via an online poll and is presenting its findings now in the “Turkish Societal Perceptions Concerning Combat against PKK Terrorism” report. This report tried to be as thorough as possible and many sub-layers of analysis were entertained for achieving a holistic analysis as possible. Among some of the sub-sections were: the desire for Turks and Kurds to live together in Turkey, the KCK arrests, the democratic opening process, counter terrorism and state policies, military operations against terrorism, foreign support for the PKK, the effects of terror acts in the regions and societal perceptions on solution proposals of Kurdish Question. The report “Turkish Societal Perceptions Concerning Combat against PKK Terrorism” was originally published in Turkish and presented to the public through a press conference that took place at BILGESAM headquarters in September 2012.
- Topic:
- Democratization, Terrorism, Minorities, and PKK
- Political Geography:
- Turkey and Middle East
18. Is There a Puzzle? Compliance with Minority Rights in Turkey (1999-2010)
- Author:
- Gözde Yilmaz
- Publication Date:
- 01-2011
- Content Type:
- Working Paper
- Institution:
- The Kolleg-Forschergruppe (KFG)
- Abstract:
- The Helsinki Summit in 1999 represents a turning point for EU–Turkey relations. Turkey gained status as a formal candidate country for the EU providing a strong incentive to launch democratic reforms for the ultimate reward of membership. Since 2001, the country has launched a number of reforms in minority rights. Many controversial issues, such as denial of the existence of the Kurds, or the lack of property rights granted to non-Muslim minorities in the country, have made progress. Even though the reforms in minority rights may represent a tremendous step for the Europeanization process of Turkey, the compliance trend in minority rights is neither progressive nor smooth. While there is a consensus within the literature about the acceleration of reforms starting in 2002 and the slow down by 2005 in almost all policy areas, scholars are divided into two camps regarding the continuing slow down of the reform process or the revival of the reforms since 2008. I argue, in the present paper, that the compliance process with minority rights in Turkey is puzzling due to the differentiated outcome and the recent revival of behavioral compliance. I aim to shed light on the empirical facts in the least-likely area for reform in the enlargement process. Through a detailed analysis of minority-related reform process of Turkey being an instance of ongoing compliance, the paper contributes to the literature divided on the end result of Europeanization in the country recently.
- Topic:
- Democratization, Human Rights, and Minorities
- Political Geography:
- Europe, Turkey, and Asia
19. What are Kurds and Zazas Thinking About? A Look to the Shared Values and Symbols
- Author:
- Salih Akyürek
- Publication Date:
- 01-2011
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- BILGESAM (Wise Men Center for Strategic Studies)
- Abstract:
- Today, it is not the demands and choices of the people who are personally at the heart of the problems in southeastern Anatolia that have come to the agenda, but instead the thoughts and demands of the third-persons or people speaking on behalf of people. This, in turn, results in the issue losing its essence, a high tension between different ethnic groups and drags Turkey into a struggle and a polarization period. The easiest way to overcome this problem is to directly search the opinions of the people in the region, not the people who speak on behalf of them. Therefore, taking a fresh look at the existing problem with field researches and direct knowledge from the local community will provide more realistic information for the accurate strategies and solution proposals of the future. Recently, a confederative proposal of rights called “Democratic Autonomy” (collected under eight main topics) has come onto agenda and has been discussed as a claim for the Kurdish people’s views and demands. According to some estimates, this proposal of rights is useful to be discussed but also there are other considerations believing that it just establishes a ground for the separation of the country. Before arguing on the current demands, one has to prove whether or not these demands are really the Kurdish demands. Another issue is to find out what are the real Kurdish demands and expectations and to generate some solution strategies concerning this problem. At this point, once more, one needs to underline the importance of field work which designate the problems and set the expectations.
- Topic:
- Democratization, Sectarianism, Minorities, Kurds, and Autonomy
- Political Geography:
- Turkey and Middle East
20. How Legitimate Are The Kurd’s Demands? The Kurdish Question Through The Lens of Turkey’s West
- Author:
- Dilek Kurban and Yılmaz Ensaroğlu
- Publication Date:
- 04-2011
- Content Type:
- Special Report
- Institution:
- Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV)
- Abstract:
- Generally speaking, it is fair to say that there was consensus in all meetings that the Kurdish Question is Turkey’s most important challenge and blocks the country’s path in many ways, and that it calls for an urgent solution. But participants raised quite different viewpoints, diverse and at times diametrically opposite approaches on how to name and define the issue, reasons for the problem’s emergence, its origins or the paths to solution. Nevertheless, when specifics of the matter were laid on the table, these opposing views converged, and even reached agreement. This is a sign that the long-lasting policies implemented to create a society of fear have had a certain degree of influence but could not subjugate the society entirely. As a matter of fact, it needs to be noted that at the meetings held in provinces assumed to harbor highly negative opinions on the Kurdish Question, even those participants who define themselves as nationalists (milliyetçi) or secular nationalists (ulusalcı) and are expected to react most harshly and irreconcilably to Kurds’ demands often did not draw their “red lines” too far from those drawn by people with more moderate views. For instance, the majority of those participants stated clearly that Kurds’ demands about human rights and Turkey’s democratization were legitimate and their reaction or concerns were limited to demands regarding ‘terror’, the Kurdistan Workers Party (Partiya Karkerên Kurdistan, PKK) and Abdullah Öcalan.
- Topic:
- Minorities, Domestic Politics, and Kurds
- Political Geography:
- Turkey and Middle East
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