Author(s): Âdem PALABIYIK
This paper aims to analyze the historical trajectory of Kurdish political movement in the context of social movements. It argues that although Kurdish nationalism constituting the ideological ground of Kurdish political movement has generally been attributed to Ahmed-i Xani; it was rather ?eyh Ubeydullah who started the ideological motivation and afterwards the movement was represented by Sheikh Said. Yet in the course of time, there has been a shift in terms of disengagement from the religious discourse and continuation with PKK. It is certain that social movements are by definition in opposition to political status quo. This has also been the most peculiar characteristic of Kurdish political movements. The challenge which contributed to awakening of the national consciousness of the Kurds was led by Sheikh Ubeydullah and culminated by PKK. Nevertheless, the character of Kurdish nationalism itself has been subjected to change parallel to the transformations took place in PKK and its restructuration. Together with the said objectives, this paper tries to contribute to sociologically understand how Kurdish nationalism has been transformed in relation to the influence of PKK.
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