The Political Development of the Kurds in Iran

This book looks at Kurdish Nationalism in Iran and examines the links between the structural changes in the Kurdish economy and its political demands. Farideh Koohi-Kamali argues that the transition of the nomadic, tribal society of Kurdistan to an agrarian village society was the beginning of a process by which Kurds saw themselves as a community of homogenous ethnic identity. The political movements of Kurds in Iran are discussed to illustrate that the different phases of economic development of Kurdish society played a great role in determining the way in which Kurds expressed their political demands for independence.

'This is first-rate, up to date analysis of an increasingly important topic. Its insights into the Kurdish problem in Iran will provide valuable information to both scholars and practitioners.' - Michael Gunter, Professor of Political Science, Tennessee Technological University, USA, author of 'The Kurdish Predicament in

Iraq: A Political Analysis.'

'Farideh Koohi-Kamali shows with great clarity the economic and social changes which enabled a transition from tribal to national identity among

the Kurds of Iran during the twentieth century. It greatly increases our understanding of how and why the question of ethnicity has become so important in the region. Her fine book deserves to be very widely read indeed.' - David McDowall, Author of 'A Modern History of the Kurds.'

Autorentext
FARIDEH KOOHI-KAMALI teaches Middle East politics and history at the New School University, New York, USA. She received her PhD from St Antony's College, Oxford and has written numerous articles on the Kurds. She contributed to The Kurds: Contemporary Overview (1992) and wrote a short story which appears in Stories by Iranian Women Since the Revolution (1991).

Inhalt
Preface Maps Introduction The Kurds and Kurdistan The Political Economy of Kurdish Tribalism Nationalism or Tribalism? Simko's Revolt The Kurdish Republic in Mahabad The Political Economy of Kurdish Nationalism Kurdistan from 1946 Republic to the 1979 Revolution and the Islamic Republic Conclusion Epilogue: The Situation of the Kurds in Iran and Neighboring Countries, 2002 Notes Index