Rojava

Thomas Schmidinger

ISBN 10: 0745337724 / ISBN 13: 9780745337722

Published by Pluto Press, GB, 2018

About this Item

The Kurdish territory of Rojava in Syria has become a watchword for radical democracy, communalism and gender equality. But while Western radicals continue to project their own values onto the revolution, the complexities of the situation are often overlooked or misunderstood.Based on over 17 years of research and fieldwork, Thomas Schmidinger provides a detailed introduction to the history and political situation in Rojava. Outlining the history of the Kurds in Syria from the late Ottoman Empire until the Syrian civil war, he describes the developments in Rojava since 2011: the protests against the regime, the establishment of a Kurdish para-state, the conflicts between the parties about the administration of the Kurdish territory and how the PYD and its People's Councils rule the territory.The book draws on interviews with political leaders of different parties, civil society activists, artists, fighters and religious leaders in order to paint an complex picture of the historical conflict and the contemporary situation.

Seller Inventory # LU-9780745337722

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Rojava
• Publisher: Pluto Press, GB
• Publication Date: 2018
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0745337724
• ISBN 13: 9780745337722
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: New
• Weight: 396 grams

About this title

Synopsis

The Kurdish territory of Rojava in Syria has in recent years become a watchword for radical democracy, communalism, and gender equality. This book, however, argues that much of how we see Rojava from the outside is a projection of the values of Western radicals whose understanding of the complexities of the situation are limited. Thomas Schmidinger has been working in Rojava for seventeen years, and here he gives us the clearest picture yet of the history, politics, and society of the region today. He sketches the historical background of the Kurds in Syria, then details the developments since the outbreak of war in 2011, including the establishment of the Kurdish para-state and ongoing conflicts between Kurdish parties about how it should be administered. Drawing on interviews with leaders from different parties, civil society activists, artists, fighters, and religious leaders, Schmidinger delivers an authentic, nuanced, unromanticized portrait of Rojava today.
 

About the Author

Thomas Schmidinger is a Political Scientist and Cultural Anthropologist, Associate Professor and Program Director at the Department for Politics and International Relations at the University of Kurdistan Hewler (UKH). He also teaches at the University of Vienna and the University of Applied Sciences Oberosterreich in Linz. He is Secretary General of the Austrian Association for Kurdish studies. He is the author of Rojava, which received the Mezlum Bagok award.