A Modern History of the Kurds

David McDowall's ground-breaking history of the Kurds from the 19th century to the present day documents the underlying dynamics of the Kurdish question. The division of the Kurdish people among the modern nation states of Iraq, Turkey, Syria and Iran and their struggle for national rights continues to influence the politics of the Middle East. Drawing extensively on primary sources - including documents from The National Archive and interviews with prominent Kurds - the book examines the interplay of old and new aspects of the struggle, the importance of local rivalries and leadership within Kurdish society, and the failure of modern states to respond to the challenge of Kurdish nationalism. In this new and revised edition, McDowall also analyses the momentous transformations affecting Kurdish socio-politics in the last 20 years. With updates throughout and substantial new material included, this fourth edition of the book reflects the developments in the field and the areas which have gained importance and understanding. This includes new analysis of the Kurdish experience in Syria; the role of political Islam in Kurdish society and Kurds' involvement in Islamist Jihad; and issues surrounding women and gender that were previously overlooked, from the impact of the women's equality movement to how patriarchal practices within the Kurdish community still limit its progress. The foundation text for Kurdish Studies, this book highlights in detail the changing situation of the Kurds across the Middle East.

David McDowall is an author specializing in Middle Eastern affairs.

Glossary of Abbreviations Glossary of Middle Eastern terms Foreword Ch 1. Introduction: Kurdish identity and social formation Book I THE KURDS IN THE AGE OF TRIBE AND EMPIRE Ch. 2. Kurdistan before the nineteenth century Ch. 3. Ottoman Kurdistan, 1800-1850 Ch. 4. Ottoman Kurdistan, 1850-1908 Ch. 5. The Qajars and the Kurds Ch. 6. Revolution, nationalism and war, 1900-1918 Book II INCORPORATING THE KURDS Ch. 7. Redrawing the map: the partition of Ottoman Kurdistan Ch. 8. The Kurds, Britain and Iraq Ch. 9. Incorporating Turkey's Kurds Book III ROJHILAT (EAST): NATIONALISM IN IRAN Ch. 10. The Kurds under Reza Shah Ch. 11. Tribe or ethnicity? The Mahabad Republic Ch. 12. Iran: Creating a national movement Ch. 13. Subjects of the Shi'i republic Book IV BASÛR (SOUTH): NATIONALISM IN IRAQ Ch. 14. The birth of the national movement under Hashemite rule Ch. 15. The Kurds in revolutionary Iraq Ch. 16. The Kurds under the Ba'th, 1968- 1975 Ch. 17. The road to genocide, 1975-1988 Ch. 18. Uprising and self-rule Book V BAKUR (NORTH): NATIONALISM IN TURKEY Ch. 19. The Kurdish national revival in Turkey, 1946-1979 Ch.20. The PKK and the mass movement Book VI ROJAVA (WEST): NATIONALISM IN SYRIA Ch.21. Living apart in French and independent Syria Book VII INTO THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY: THE FIRST TWO DECADES Ch. 22. Iran's Kurds: no sign of the dawn Ch. 23. Syria's Kurds: coming of age in civil war Ch. 24. Turkey's Kurds: the search for resolution Ch. 25. Iraq's Kurds: from dream to disillusionment Book VIII DIASPORA KURDS Ch. 26. The Kurds in exile: building the nation AFTERWORD Appendix 1. The Treaty of Sèvres Appendix 2. The Kurds in Lebanon Appendix 3. The Kurds of the Caucasus