A Modern History of the Kurds - by David McDowall (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

David McDowall's ground-breaking history of the Kurds from the 19th century to the present day documents the underlying dynamics of the Kurdish question.

The division of the Kurdish people among the modern nation states of Iraq, Turkey, Syria and Iran and their struggle for national rights continues to influence the politics of the Middle East. Drawing extensively on primary sources - including documents from The National Archive and interviews with prominent Kurds - the book examines the interplay of old and new aspects of the struggle, the importance of local rivalries and leadership within Kurdish society, and the failure of modern states to respond to the challenge of Kurdish nationalism.

In this new and revised edition, McDowall also analyses the momentous transformations affecting Kurdish socio-politics in the last 20 years. With updates throughout and substantial new material included, this fourth edition of the book reflects the developments in the field and the areas which have gained importance and understanding. This includes new analysis of the Kurdish experience in Syria; the role of political Islam in Kurdish society and Kurds' involvement in Islamist Jihad; and issues surrounding women and gender that were previously overlooked, from the impact of the women's equality movement to how patriarchal practices within the Kurdish community still limit its progress. The foundation text for Kurdish Studies, this book highlights in detail the changing situation of the Kurds across the Middle East.

Review Quotes

"The best single narrative history of the Kurds ... It certainly belongs on the shelf of anyone interested in the Middle East today." --Washington Post Book World

"A work of impressive traditional scholarship ... an extraordinary account." --New York Times

"An impressive and important achievement." --New Statesman and Society

"A superbly readable narrative ... a great achievement on many levels." --Christopher Walker

"For those who want to understand the background to the Kurdish situation in the Middle East, this is the best available introduction." --William B. Quandt, Edward R. Stettinius Professor of Politics, University of Virginia, USA

"A Modern History of the Kurds has been the most comprehensive source on Kurdish politics since its first publication several decades ago. In this long-waited fourth edition, Professor McDowall provides an erudite and well-researched analysis of the complex developments that took place in Kurdish lands in the first decades of the 21st century. Written in an engaging style, this edition will remain an indispensable source for all type of interested readers in Kurdish struggles and issues for a long time to come." --Günes Murat Tezcür, Jalal Talabani Chair and Professor, University of Central Florida

"The updated book shines a penetrating beam into the fraught journey of the Kurdish people in the past 200 years. McDowall's holistic approach to the complexity of the story of the Kurds in the four main parts of Kurdistan makes it a solid foundation for any student of Kurdish history. This critical book helps us understand what the role of non-state actors such as the Kurds will be in the geopolitic of the Middle East in the coming decades." --Fazel Hawramy, investigative reporter

"This newly updated book by McDowall is one of the most comprehensive and best-to-read modern histories of the Kurdish people, who have been divided by the borders of four countries. A must-read for diplomats, historians and journalists that are focused on the Kurdish issue." --Wladimir van Wilgenburg, co-author of The Kurds of Northern Syria: Governance, Diversity and Conflicts

"Easily the most comprehensive and accessible modern history of the Kurds available in English. Those of us who do academic work on the Kurds are thrilled to be getting a new, updated edition of this extremely important book, and I would likewise very much recommend it to lay people first getting acquainted with the Kurds and their experiences." --David Romano, Thomas G. Strong Chair of Middle East Politics, Missouri State University

"McDowall's work on the Kurds remains the go-to introductory text for scholars, journalists, and foreign-policy experts who seek a solid and detailed narrative of Kurdish history and political dynamics while also being accessible to the general public. In this new edition with updated research and analysis, McDowall's work highlights the significance of the Kurds to long-standing transnational relations and identity politics in the Middle East." --Janet Klein, Professor of History, The University of Akron, USA; author of The Margins of Empire: Kurdish Militias in the Ottoman Tribal Zone

"David McDowall's A Modern History of the Kurds, much expanded and now updated ..., lives up to its reputation as by far the most readable of the histories of the Kurds available today." --The Times Literary Supplement

About the Author

David McDowall is an author specialising in Middle Eastern affairs. He studied Islamic history under Albert Hourani for his first degree and wrote his post-graduate dissertation on the Druze revolt in Syria, 1925-27. He has worked for the British Council and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, before becoming a full-time writer on Britain, Palestine, Lebanon and the Kurds.