Kurdish Diasporas: A Comparative Study of Kurdish Refugee Communities

229 Pages·1999·21.07 MB·English

by  Östen Wahlbeck (auth.)

MIGRATION, MINORITIES AND CITIZENSHIP
General Editors: Zig Layton-Henry, Professor of Politics, University of
Warwick; and Daniele Joly, Director, Centre for Research in Ethnic
Relations, University of Warwick
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IMMIGRATION AND INTEGRATION IN POST-INDUSTRIAL
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Adrian Favell
PHILOSOPHIES OF INTEGRATION
Immigration and the Idea of Citizenship in France and Britain
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HAVEN OR HELL?
Asylum Policies and Refugees in Europe
SCAPEGOATS AND SOCIAL ACTORS
The Exclusion and Integration of Minorities in Western and Eastern
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RESIGNERS? THE EXPERIENCE OF BLACK AND ASIAN POLICE
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SCRAMBLE FOR THE BALKANS
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Osten Wahlbeck
KURDISH DlASPORAS
A Comparative Study of Kurdish Refugee Communities
Migration, Minorities and Citizenship
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Kurdish Diasporas
A Comparative Study of Kurdish
Refugee Communities
Osten Wahlbeck
Abo Akademi University and
Institute of Migration
Turku, Finland
* ISBN 978-1-349-41199-3 ISBN 978-0-230-28893-5 (eBook)
DOI 10.1057/9780230288935
© Osten Wahlbeck 1999
Reprint of the original edition 1999
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For Ella
Contents
List of Figures and Tables viii
Acknowledgements ix
Abbreviations and Glossary x
Introduction 1
1 Inclusion and Exclusion of Refugees: Rethinking
Concepts and Theories 8
2 Politics and Forced Migration in Kurdistan 39
3 Resettlement Policies: Two Different Models 64
4 Towards a Wider Understanding of the Refugee
Experience 88
5 The Process of Integration 123
6 Kurdish Associations: Community Work and
Diasporic Politics 152
7 Conclusions 179
Appendix: The Fieldwork 191
Notes 196
References 202
Index 215
vii
List of Figures and Tables
Figure
3.1 Asylum seekers in the United Kingdom, 1982-96 67
3.2 Decisions on asylum applications made in the
United Kingdom, 1982-96 68
3.3 Asylum applications from Turkey, Iran and Iraq
made in the United Kingdom, 1985-96 73
3.4 Decisions on asylum applications from Turkey,
Iran and Iraq in the United Kingdom, 1985-90 and
1995-96 74
3.5 Immigration and emigration in Finland, 1945-97 76
3.6 Foreign citizens and refugees living in Finland,
1980-97 77
3.7 Asylum seekers and the refugee quota in Finland,
1979-97 79
Table
3.1 The estimated number of Kurds and citizens from
Turkey, Iraq and Iran living in Finland 84
viii
Acknowledgements
First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to all the Kurdish
refugees and organizations who helped me and gave me informa
tion during this study. I want to thank you for your friendship,
hospitality and patience during the fieldwork. Unfortunately, be
cause of the situation in Kurdistan today, you all have to remain
anonymous.
This book is based on research made for a PhD dissertation at
the University of Warwick in the UK. I am grateful to my super
visors, Dr Daniele Joly at the Centre for Research in Ethnic Relations
and Professor Robin Cohen at the Department of Sociology, whose
expertise in this area of study was invaluable. The Institute of
Migration in Turku, Finland, provided me with the space and time
needed to finish this book. Inspiration and support was given by
both staff and students at these two institutions.
Many other persons have been helpful in many different ways
and at different stages of the research process. I especially want to
thank Professor Robert Burgess, Professor Emeritus Elizabeth Colson,
Dr Peter Fairbrother, Dr Clive Harris, Professor Amir Hassanpour,
Dr Mark Johnson, Dr Ronald Kaye, Professor Zig Layton-Henry,
Dr Mike McDaid, Dr Philip Muus, Professor Emeritus John Rex,
Professor Tom Sandlund, Professor Carl-Ulrik Schierup, Mr Omar
Sheikhmous and Professor Matti Simila.
The valuable collections in the libraries at the School of Orien
tal and African Studies in London and at the Refugee Studies
Programme at Oxford University were of great help during this
project. Support for the completion of this study was provided by
the Academy of Finland and the KONE Foundation. I am also
grateful for the support given from Agneta och Carl-Erik Olins
stipendiefond, Svenska KuIturfonden, Oskar Oflunds Stiftelse and
the Overseas Research Student Award.
ix
Abbreviations and Glossary
DSS Department of Social Security
ELR Exceptional Leave to Remain
ERNK Eniya Rizgariya Netewa Kurdistan, National Libera
tion Front of Kurdistan
KCC Kurdish Cultural Centre
KDP Kurdish Democratic Party (Iraq)
KDP-Iran Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran
KWA Kurdistan Workers' Association
PKK Partiya Karkeren Kurdistan, Kurdistan Workers' Party
PUK Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
[t] Translation
UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Newroz: Kurdish New Year (21 March)
Peshmerga: Kurdish guerrilla soldier. The term is used mainly in
southern Kurdistan (i.e. Iraq and Iran)
x