The Emergence of Modern National History Writing for Stateless Peoples in Early 20th Century Middle East: A Case of the Kurds

Despite its significance, national history continues to pose formidable challenges to Kurdish interdisciplinary and transnational historical studies at present, primarily by shaping historical understanding of contemporary events. Historiographical studies in the ‘Middle East’ have primarily focused on the cases of politically powerful national history writing. Focusing on the case of the Kurds, this project highlights national history writing on behalf of stateless peoples to explore its significance in shaping a Kurdish master or national narrative.

The study aims to present the idea that history writing on behalf of non-state peoples emerged as a mode of resistance and a means to ensure their epistemic survival in the face of powerful historiographies’ denial of their nationhood and statehood. Methodologically, it undertakes archival research in Iraqi or southern Kurdistan to identify early texts of modern Kurdish national history in the early twentieth century. It is a comparative analysis of modern European, Kurdish, Persian, Arab and Turkish national histories to identify commonalities and differences. While they were concerned with ‘racial’ and linguistic origins, Kurdish non-state history writing seems to have differed in its significance as resistance and an endeavour to preserve the historical survival of its perceived nation.

This project is funded by the British Academy/Leverhulme Small Research Grants Scheme.

 

_{Statues of Kurdish key historical female figures outside a market in Hawler. (c) Marouf Cabi}