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Kurdistan, Kurdish Nationalism and International Society

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Kurdistan, Kurdish Nationalism and International Society View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by LSE Theses Online The London School of Economics and Political Science Maps into Nations: Kurdistan, Kurdish Nationalism and International Society by Zeynep N. Kaya A thesis submitted to the Department of International Relations of the London School of Economics for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, London, June 2012. Declaration I certify that the thesis I have presented for examination for the MPhil/PhD degree of the London School of Economics and Political Science is solely my own work other than where I have clearly indicated that it is the work of others (in which case the extent of any work carried out jointly by me and any other person is clearly identified in it). The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. Quotation from it is permitted, provided that full acknowledgement is made. This thesis may not be reproduced without my prior written consent. I warrant that this authorisation does not, to the best of my belief, infringe the rights of any third party. I declare that my thesis consists of 77,786 words. Statement of use of third party for editorial help I can confirm that my thesis was copy edited for conventions of language, spelling and grammar by Matthew Whiting. 2 Anneme, Babama, Kardeşime 3 Abstract This thesis explores how Kurdish nationalists generate sympathy and support for their ethnically-defined claims to territory and self-determination in international society and among would-be nationals. It combines conceptual and theoretical insights from the field of IR and studies on nationalism, and focuses on national identity, sub-state groups and international norms. In so doing, this thesis presents a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between the self-determination claims of sub-state nationalist groups and their interaction with international society. Such assertions for the control of a specific territory typically embrace, either implicitly or explicitly, ethnic conceptions of national identity. A three-fold argument is proposed and developed to explain why these ethnic claims to self-determination gain sympathy and support. Firstly, political assertions regarding the identity of a specific piece of land and its cartographical depictions are powerful in influencing outsiders’ perceptions because of the normative context in which they are framed. The norms related to sub-state nationalist groups involve both a specific interpretation of self-determination and the norms of human rights and democracy. Secondly, such claims are further reinforced by the perception that the history of a territory is identical to the history of the people living on it. Although a political association between a people and a territory is a relatively novel link, such associations are often assumed and accepted to exist throughout all of history. Kurdish nationalists use the maps of Kurdistan effectively to convey the message. Finally, the diasporal activities of nationalists who, thanks to their location outside the homeland and their ability to communicate their ideas directly to international society, play an important role in asserting the rightfulness of their demand for self-determination and in promoting the idea of an ethnic territory. 4 Table of Contents List of Figures ....................................................................................... 8 Acknowledgements ............................................................................... 9 Chapter 1: Introduction ....................................................................... 11 A Brief Outline of the Literature on Kurds .................................................... 17 Analytical and Theoretical Focus ................................................................... 27 International Relations .................................................................................................... 28 Nationalism ................................................................................................................... 32 Kurdish nationalism ........................................................................................................ 36 Summary of the Argument and the Chapters ................................................ 38 Chapter 2: Self-determination, Nationalism and Liberal Democracy ............................................................................................................. 42 Introduction .................................................................................................... 42 Nationalism and Liberal Democracy ............................................................. 42 Nationalism ................................................................................................................... 43 Liberal Democracy .......................................................................................................... 47 Self-determination .......................................................................................... 50 Sovereignty ...................................................................................................................... 51 Self-determination: History and Meaning ........................................................................ 55 Conclusion ...................................................................................................... 68 Chapter 3: Theoretical and Conceptual Framework for Understanding Self-Determination .................................................... 70 Introduction .................................................................................................... 70 The Necessity of Adopting a Multi-Theoretical Approach to Understanding Sub-State Nationalist Groups’ Self-Determination Claims ........................... 71 5 The Conceptual Framework to Understand Sub-State Nationalist Groups’ Self-Determination Claims ............................................................................. 81 Conclusion ...................................................................................................... 93 Chapter 4: Kurdish Nationalism and Kurdistan Until WWI ............. 95 Introduction .................................................................................................... 95 Kurdish Society and the Use of the Notion of Kurdistan in the Ottoman Empire ............................................................................................................ 97 Brief Historical Background ............................................................................................ 97 Past Uses of the Concept of Kurdistan ............................................................................. 99 Kurdish Tribal Structure within the Context of the Ottomans’ Local Administration System .......................................................................................................................... 105 Kurdish Tribal Revolts ................................................................................. 109 Kurdish Activities until the World War I ....................................................... 116 Conclusion .................................................................................................... 123 Chapter 5: Kurdistan and Kurdish Nationalism Since World War I 125 Introduction .................................................................................................. 125 Kurdistan and Kurdish Nationalism at the End of WWI............................. 126 Kurdish Nationalism and Kurdistan after the WWI .................................... 132 Conclusion .................................................................................................... 147 Chapter 6: Kurdish Nationalism in the Diaspora ............................. 149 Introduction .................................................................................................. 149 Diaspora Politics .......................................................................................... 152 Political Activities within the Kurdish Diaspora .......................................... 156 Kurdish Migration Beyond the Region ........................................................................... 156 Political Activities of Kurdish Groups in the Diaspora .................................................. 159 The Impact of Activities of Kurdish Groups on Kurdish Society in the Diaspora ............ 161 Activities of Kurdish Nationalist Groups in Diaspora in an International Context ......................................................................................................... 166 Assertiveness ................................................................................................................. 167 International Connections .............................................................................................. 169 6 Kurdish diaspora’s use of the international political norms .............................................. 175 Conclusion .................................................................................................... 177 Chapter 7 - Conclusion ...................................................................... 179 Bibliography ....................................................................................... 191 7 List of Figures 1.1: Kurdish Institute of Paris Map of Kurdistan.................................................................. 14 1.2: ‘Administrative Units of Contemporary Kurdistan’ by
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