Turkey's Kurdish Question

The Kurds, one of the oldest ethnic groups in the Middle East, are reasserting their identitypolitically and through violence. Turkey's essentially democratic structure and civil societyideal tools for coping with and incorporating minority challengehave so far been suspended on this issue, which the government is treating almost exclusively as a security problem to be dealt with by force. This study explores the roots, dimensions, character, and evolution of the problem, offers a range of approaches to a resolution of the conflict, and draws broader parallels between the Kurdish question and other separatist movements worldwide.

Henri J. Barkey is associate professor in the Department of International Relations at Lehigh University. Graham E. Fuller is senior analyst at the RAND Corporation.