Defining the Nation: Kurdish Historiography in Turkey in the 1990s

Main author: Hirschler, Konrad
Format: Journal Article           
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id eprints-4188
recordtype eprints
institution SOAS, University of London
collection SOAS Research Online
language English
language_search English
description This article examines Kurdish historiography in Turkey in the 1990s. It centres on the question how the national community is historicised via central myths, especially for the pre-Islamic periods. As a source basis writings of members of the intellectual elite which are published in newspapers are used. This article argues that identity in the Kurdish society is currently mainly constructed around an ethnic history, which assumes Kurdishness to be constant and which is based on a dichotomy between barbarism and civilisation. The discursive space for this historiography is mainly determined by Turkish national discourse in its popular version. Finally, a comparative outlook with the Iraqi case is suggested.
format Journal Article
author Hirschler, Konrad
author_facet Hirschler, Konrad
authorStr Hirschler, Konrad
author_letter Hirschler, Konrad
title Defining the Nation: Kurdish Historiography in Turkey in the 1990s
publisher Taylor and Francis
publishDate 2001
url https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/4188/