Five stages of the construction of Kurdish nationalism in Turkey

The construction and politicization of Kurdish ethno-nationalism in Turkey evolved in five stages.The state's policies are the determinant factors in the evolution and modulation of the Kurdish ethno-nationalism.Each stage examines the state-society relations and the way in which the Kurdish identity has been framed.The article argues that the major reason for the politicization of Kurdish cultural identity is the shift from multi-ethnic, multi-cultural realities of the Ottoman empire to the nation-state model.The new order of forced homogenizing of Turkish nationalism has been the major source of conflict in Turkey.The relatively successful modernization project of Mustafa Kemal in education, urbanization, and communication did not only create regional differences, but also helped to create a conscious Kurdish ethnic elite.After examining the role of Islam and communism as a 'surrogate identity' for Kurdish nationalism, the article also analyzes the processes of 'autonomization' of the Kurdish identity in the 1980s.Turkey must recognize the cultural rights of the Kurds and search for a new social contract in which the cultural mosaic of Turkey can flourish.The construction and politicization of Kurdish ethno-nationalism in Turkey evolved in five stages. 1 The state's policies are the determinant factors in the evolution and modulation of the Kurdish ethno-nationalism.The major reason for the politicization of Kurdish cultural identity is the shift from multi-ethnic, multi-cultural realities of the Ottoman empire to the nationstate model.The old sources of legitimacy, i.e.Islam and the caliphate, were destroyed.The new order of forced homogenizing nationalism has been the major source of conflict in Turkey.The current waves of identity claims are the reflection of a deeper search for legitimacy and meaning in the post-Ottoman system.The politicization of ethnic identity in the Ottoman domain took place in the nineteenth century when the Ottoman Empire decided to govern not rule anymore. 2 The Sultan ruled some urban centres, but lacked the administrative means of bureaucracy and information to offer regularized and centralized administration throughout the empire.The centralization attempts brought the question of governance and this, in turn, created a conflict between local power structures and the state.The relatively successful modernization project of Mustafa Kemal in education, urbanization, and communication did not only create regional