Nationalism and Kurdish Notables in the Late Ottoman-Early Republican Era
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Nationalism and Kurdish Notables in the Late Ottoman-Early Republican Era
| Author(s) | Ozoglu, Hakan |
|---|---|
| Abstract | The era culminating in World War I saw a transition from multinational empires to nation-states. Large empires such as the Austro-Hungarian and the Ottoman searched for ways to cope with the decline of their political control, while peoples in these empires shifted their political loyalties to nation-states. The Ottoman Empire offers a favorable canvas for studying new nationalisms that resulted in many successful and unsuccessful attempts to form nation-states. As an example of successful attempts, Arab nationalism has received the attention that it deserves in the field of Middle-Eastern studies. Students have engaged in many complex debates on different aspects of Arab nationalism, enjoying a wealth of hard data. Studies on Kurdish nationalism, however, are still in their infancy. Only a very few scholars have addressed the issue in a scholarly manner. We still have an inadequate understanding of the nature of early Kurdish nationalism and its consequences for the Middle East in general and Turkish studies in particular. Partly because of the subject’s political sensitivity, many scholars shy away from it. However, a consideration of Kurdish nationalism as an example of unsuccessful attempts to form a nation-state can contribute greatly to the study of nationalism in the Middle East. The aim of this study is to explore the nature of Kurdish nationalism in its formative period. It offers five principal conclusions. Kurdish nationalism emerged as a response to the collapsing Ottoman Empire during and after World War I. Therefore, it was not a cause but, on the contrary, the result of the empire’s disintegration. The political and military activities of Kurdish notables in the pre-World War I period were not nationalistic; they reflected the desire of powerful Kurdish lineages to consolidate, expand, or recover their regional influence. Kurdish leaders, exclusively of landed-notable origin, were mostly members of Ottoman high bureaucracy and as such an integral part of the Ottoman state. Their well-being depended heavily on the existence of the state. It was only after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire seemed unavoidable that they actively promoted nationalism. In its infancy, Kurdish nationalism was heavily affected by pre-existing ties and rivalries. These ties were shaped by the Kurds’ own primordial ties and religious affiliations. Struggles among the most powerful Kurdish notables continued in the form of opposing factions in Kurdish nationalist politics in the era immediately following World War I. The goals and tactics of these factions were also influenced by their leaders’ religious commitment-or lack of such commitment. Their understanding of and commitment to the idea of nationalism varied considerably. In the era under review, Kurdish nationalism emerged simultaneously as a secessionist and an autonomist movement. Finally, the study shows that despite historic and contemporary enmities, the leaders of the opposing factions were united by one distinct emotion: their suspicion for, and even hostility toward, Kemalist-Turkish nationalism. In sum, this study shows that early Kurdish nationalist politics was highly factionalized and analyzes the ways in which Kurdish nationalist leaders responded to the collapsing Ottoman state and the emerging Kemalist regime. |
| IssueNo | 3 |
| Pages | 383-409 |
| Article | Access to Article |
| Source | International Journal of Middle East Studies |
| VolumeNo | 33 |
| PubDate | August2001 |
| ISBN_ISSN | 0020-7438 |
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Empires/Imperialism
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