The role of Kurdish Movements in the Middle East

The role of Kurdish Movements in the Middle East

The Swedish Institute of International Affairs arranged a seminar on the role of the Kurdish movements amidst the Middle East’s uncertain future.

In recent history several Kurdish movements have emerged in between Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria - currently constituting important political and military forces in the region. In the context of a Middle East in crisis, this has not only added to the weakening of several states within the region, but to the transformation of the balance of power itself and to the creation of tension in alliances between and within states.

This panel interrogated the role of Kurdish movements in shaping the future of the Middle East. To what extent can movements shape regional developments today? How much power do ethnic or religious social actors (like the Kurds) have within the international arena? What does the future look like for nation-states and their borders in the increasingly volatile region of the Middle East?

Speakers:
Cengiz Çandar, journalist, author and currently visiting fellow at Stockholm University Institute for Turkish Studies
Idris Ahmedi, PhD, lecturer at the Swedish Defence University and Middle East Analyst
Omar Sheikhmous, political scientist, author and Middle East Analyst
Bitte Hammargren, editor of UI’s Utrikesmagasinet and Middle East Analyst

The seminar was moderated by Mats Karlsson, director at UI.

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