A Sociological Study of the Effect Social Development on Cultural-Political Convergence in Kurds: A Case of Kurdish People Living in Iran, Iraq, and Turkey

Year 2015, Volume: 36 Issue: 3, 2480 - 2489, 13.05.2015

Sulayman Kurdeh , Seifollah Seıfollahı Mhrdad Nvabakhsh Ghafur Sheıkh

Abstract

Kurds living in Turkey, Iran, and Iraq play a significant role in planning and implementation of macroeconomic policies. The current condition of Kurds and their future convergence or divergence is one of the concerns of central governments. Some factors such as education, social self-esteem, stability and security, equality and justice, freedom of choice, and political will can affect their convergence, while other factors such as gender seem to have no significant effect on it. One of the key findings of this research was that Iranian Kurds were in a better condition that Turkish and Iraqi Kurds in terms of literacy rate, insurance coverage, stability/security, and media consumption. Turkish Kurds had a better condition in terms of employment and urbanization, while Iraqi Kurds were superior in freedom of choice and political will. Female Kurds in Turkey had higher information and participation than others. Overall, social and cultural convergence in these regions is expected to increase due to media consumption, shared history and language, and increased education and knowledge. However, political convergence seems impractical due to differences in the visions of central governments, sensitivity of the region, interference of superpowers, and the Kurds’ dedication to peace, progress, and security.  

Keywords

Social development, political convergence, multiculturalism

References

• Chilcote, R. H., 1981. Theories of Comparative Politics: The Search for a Paradigm.
• Second Edition, Westiew Press. http://www.un.org/en/development http://data.worldbank.org/country http://www.amar.org.ir/Default.aspx http://www.turkstat.gov.tr/Start.do http://www.cosit.gov.iq/english/index.php http://www.uis.unesco.org/Pages/default.aspx http://www.ensani.ir/storage/Files/20101221190028-1243.pdf
• Jalaipour, H. R., 2005. Ethnic nationalism in Russia: A critique of People’s Republic.
• Iranian Journal of Anthropology, 4, 28-47. Jalaipour, H. R., 2006. Rise and fall of the Kurdish Movement (1956-1988). Iranian
• Journal of National Studies, 7, 81-109. Jalaipour, H. R., 2008. How to face different sociological theories? Iranian Journal of Social Studies, 33, 99-130.
• Seifullahi, S., 2007. Sociology of Social Problems in Iran. Tehran: Almizan.
• Seifullahi, S., 1995. Iran’s Economic Policy. Tehran: Almizan.
• Seifullahi, S., Hafez, H., 2009. Socioeconomic development plans and their effect on ethnic convergence and divergence in Iran. Iranian Journal of Social Science, 2, 67-98.
• Todaro, M. P., 1992. Economics for a Developing World: An Introduction to Principles,
• Problems and Policies for Development. Third Edition, Longman.