SOAS Research Online

Abstract

Kurds are the largest stateless ethnic group in the world, and Kurdish diasporas have for many years tried to raise awareness of the Kurds’ situation, both at home and abroad, as well as lobbying for improvements to Kurdish cultural and political rights. Many researchers believe that the diaspora is a safe environment within which “long-distance nationalists” are created and organised. This chapter explores the potential role of Kurdish diaspora groups in ‘peace-making’ and ‘peace-building’ processes within Turkey. The underlying concern is how successful negotiations for peace and post-conflict can be reached with the help of different stakeholders, such as the diaspora. Diaspora communities are not only idealistic protesters but can also act as positive agents for the homeland and create practical solutions for stateless communities. Data for this chapter comes from ethnographic qualitative research, which was carried out in multiple sites between December 2012 and February 2016.