Introduction

This book is presented in eight main chapters with an introductory section: The Introduction briefly sets the scene by explaining the foundation of the so-called Kurdish question. It elucidates the origins of the nationalist hegemonic struggle between the states (Turkey, Iraq, Syria, and Iran) and Kurdish political actors. By examining recent socio-political progress in the ‘new’ Middle East, it discusses the role of different contemporary Kurdish political agents (e.g. PKK, PYD, KRG) and their trans-border struggle in the region with the involvement of external powers (i.e. the United States, the European Union, Russia). This initial chapter provides a wide-ranging understanding of the Kurdish question by introducing the main issues, which include nationalism, the state, populism, and political stakeholders, and uses the most recent works in the field to provide an overview for readers.