...A Day in the Life of the Kurd A Day in the Life of the Kurd Kurds are a pastoral nomadic culture that can be considered patrilineal. Men herd the animals and lead the family. They are what hold the status of the family. Women play a smaller role in this society due to their beliefs that women are weak to temptations. Based off of their Quran and what it depicts, are how the Kurds lead their lives. It is a highly religious society that can be admired for sticking to their guns in the world of today. Kurdish traditionally led a peasant life, due to the nomadic state of being. Though they are nomadic, they do have boarders that fall along Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey. This mostly being because societies have sprouted up around them, thus caging them in. Extremely kind and generous they have never really belonged to anyone. “The language and traditions of the Kurds set them apart from other ethnic groups for the fact that they live in several different homogeneous nation-states.” (Gunter, Michael M (Dec 2012)). Some would say that the origins of the Kurds can be traced to the Medes, although there is no actual physical evidence of such. Being of a patrilineal lineage, the family centers around a male head and his immediate family. Depending on what type of nomads their family is, dictates what kind of patrilineal family they are. Xani is where the extended family lives under the same roof or in the family compound during their seasonal movement. Seminomadic...
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...Turks and Kurds Pirzada Osama Turkish policies of repression against the Kurds were one of the strongest and most lasting arguments against admitting Turkey to membership in the European Union. Turkey's application to the European Union is still pending and is soon to be reviewed again. Support for a United States invasion of Iraq may bring the Turks billions in aid, but it may also give them the much costlier choice between losing any chance for membership in the European Union and tolerating a secessionist movement in the Turkish parts of Kurdistan, which could endanger the very existence of Turkey in its present form. Kurdish lands, rich in natural resources, have always sustained and promoted a large population. While registering modest gains since the late 19th century, but particularly in the first decade of the 20th, Kurds lost demographic ground relative to neighboring ethnic groups. This was due as much to their less developed economy and health care system as it was to direct massacres, deportations, famines, etc. The total number of Kurds actually decreased in this period, while every other major ethnic group in the area boomed. Since the middle of the 1960s this negative demographic trend has reversed, and Kurds are steadily regaining the demographic position of importance that they traditionally held, representing 15% of the over-all population of the Middle East in Asia-a phenomenon common since at least the 4th millennium BC. Today Kurds are the fourth largest...
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...Can There Be a Kurdistan The Kurdish people of southwest Asia represent one of the largest ethnic groups in the world with no sovereign state to call their own. With the breakup of the Ottoman Empire after World War I, the desire to create an independent Kurdish state has intensified and created conflicts between the Kurds and the modern states of Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria. The Kurds’ aspiration of creating a new ethnic state in the Middle East has only served to further destabilize an already unstable region. But to prevent future turmoil, the creation of a new nation-state could be a necessary precaution. The dream of a Kurdish homeland is an old one, but after thousands of years, whether or not it can be achieved remains far from certain. The Kurdish people represent a distinct ethnic population within the Middle East. Unlike most of their surrounding neighbors, they are of neither of Turkic nor Arabic descent (Global Security, “Kurdish Conflict”). They are ethnically and linguistically distant relatives of the neighboring Persians, but have for millennia have maintained a unique cultural identity inhabiting a area from the Zagros Mountains to the eastern Taurus Mountains and part of the Mesopotamian plain (Black). Though they can trace their origins in the region back over 25 centuries to the Empire of the Medes, the Kurds can claim only brief and scattered moments of independence (Global Security, “Kurdish Conflict”). One such moment occurred relatively...
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...Discuss the issues that separatism has brought to different areas of the world (40 Marks) Separatism is an attempt by a regional group within a country or across the borders of one or more countries, to gain more political control from central governments over the areas in which they live. There are many different reasons for why separatism occurs around the world, these can include: the feeling of being economically inferior to other areas within the same country the fact that they are often in an outlying location to the political centre and the feeling or being mistreated due to being an ethnic minority like the Kurds in Iraq or a religious minority like the Christians in Sudan. Separatism can lead to a wide range of issues around the world that range from the collapse of governments and civil wars to, more political disputes and peaceful protests. Separatism does not always have to be aggressive in the past those desiring more autonomy have used a wide range of means to get their campaign noticed by the powers that be. However these ‘means’ have are set upon a broad spectrum where they can vary from the peaceful and harmless establishment of societies with clear separate identities, such as the Bretons in France, to terrorism, and in some extreme cases, outright civil war. A recent example of separatism devolving into civil war is in East Timor, where the Tamil Tigers have fought for independence for over three decades. There are two sub-categories of separatism, discreet...
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..._____3 Chapter 1 Setting up an own state_______________________________________________5 Chapter 2 The Kurds in Syria and their claim for an own state_________________________7 Conclusion________________________________________________________10 Bibliography______________________________________________________11 Introduction The Kurds have always dreamed of their own state which they call Kurdistan. Kurdistan is located in the Middle-East and is divided over 4 countries: Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey. In 1920, the Kurds were close to establishing their own state because the foundation of a Kurdish state was mentioned in the Treaty of Sevres. However, after some discussion of other involving parties, the Treaty of Sevres was replaced in 1923 by the treaty of Lausanne, in which the Kurds were neglected. This excluded the establishment of a Kurdish state. Years of revolt went by and although the Kurds have tried to become independent, an own internationally recognized state was never established. Syria was no exception, the Kurds were suppressed by the Syrian government. For example on 23 august 1962, when as a result of a decision of the government, 120000 Kurds lost their Syrian citizenship. But then, in 2010 the first protests in Tunisia started and these demonstrations turned out to be the beginning of wider protests within the Arab countries. After Tunisia, protests followed in Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Bahrain and Syria. The Arab spring in Syria began 15...
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...Talisman’s Decision to Enter Iraq Robert A. Neufeld Athabasca University Executive Summary The board of directors of Talisman Energy Inc., a Canadian publicly-traded oil and gas company, has been presented with a request from management that the company jointly purchase a 40 percent interest in Block 44 in the Kurdistan region of Iraq with another Canadian firm called WesternZagros, The investment is potentially very profitable and fits well into Talisman’s growth strategy however it is also very risky. Within its recent past Talisman suffered reputational damage and was forced to sell off its operational investment in Sudan after underestimating the risks involved in operating in a politically unstable region and specifically the efforts of non-governmental organizations and resulting pressures from stakeholders. The board needs to decide if it should enter Iraq and if Talisman can successfully operate there in a corporately responsible and profitable manner while managing many apparent risks. The main risk is the political and legal relationship between the Kurdistan and the Iraqi Central Government is transitory if not non-existent, and there is higher international support for Iraq unity than Kurdistan independence. The risks are great enough that Talisman should wait to enter Iraq. Problem Statement Can Talisman enter and operate as a joint venture in the Kurdistan region of Iraq in a profitable and corporately responsible manner that avoids the issues faced...
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...Along with demonstrating culture relativism is Saddam Hussein an example of ethical subjectivism? Why or why not? 2. If a cultural relativist lived in a culture that deemed ethnic cleansing and genocide morally unacceptable. For that cultural relativist would it be morally acceptable to intervene in a case where another culture was actively engaging in ethnic cleansing and genocide and use what your culture deemed immoral to stop such acts? Alternatively, would it be more morally acceptable not to intervene because each culture has its morals even though they go against yours? If they did intervene would they be oppressing the other culture because they are pushing their cultural morals on another culture? 3. When the Allied powers were drafting the treaty that dispersed the Kurds into different countries, do you think culture relativism played a part in the language of the treaty? Why or why not? 4. If Saddam Hussein was a culture relativist how would he respond to Adolf Hitler and the...
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...Alan Kurdi was a refugee child that was found dead on a Turkish beach. While trying to escape Turkey on a boat with his family, the boat flipped over and Alan, his mother and his brother drowned in the ocean. His father, Abdullah, was the only one to survive. The photographer who took the picture of Alan and made it viral stated,” I wished there was no problem in their country, that they hadn’t left it and hadn’t tried to leave Turkey and that I hadn’t taken this photograph.”(Smith, Helena) Many people were deeply saddened by the image, especially Abdullah. Soon after the image was taken, many false accusations have been made about Abdullah and Alan Kurdi which put Abdullah under a lot of stress. In this essay, I will argue that although the media has brought a lot of attention on refugees such as Kurdi and Hamo. The Kurdi family was making their way to Canada from Turkey to Abdullah’s sister Tima. “For Abdullah and Rehan Kurdi, and their two small children, Alan and Ghalib, the dream of a life in Canada, far from war and civil strife, had never been nearer.”(Smith, Helena) The Kurdi family wanted to escape all the war and poverty and decided to go to Canada. However the boat ride didn’t go as planned. “The waves were so high and the boat flipped. I took my wife and kids in my arms and I realised they were all dead.”(Elgot, Jessica) Abdullah tried to save his children but failed. His entire family died in his arms. It was a very sad and traumatic experience for...
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...paragraph a. Ethnic groups struggle to regain their political autonomy, as have the Kurds (Nowak, 2010). Proquest (Laven, 2005). In Turkey, repression of Kurdish groups and national movements has been arguably the most brutal and systematic. Kemal paid lip service to Turkish-Kurdish unity as part of his anticolonial nationalist agenda and attempted to make strategic connections with Kurdish chiefs in 1921 and 1922. However, he abruptly changed tack in 1923, overseeing the prohibition of Kurdish language in schools and the Kurdish judicial authority, which was to be superseded by a centralized Turkish legal system. Kemal's secularist nationalism exacerbated tensions when closures of religious schools eliminated the sole remaining educational institutions available to Kurds. Kurdish revolts led by emerging Kurdish nationalist groups in 1925 and 1930 were brutally suppressed and followed, a decade later, by aerial bombardment and the use of poison gas and artillery shelling aimed at quashing any Kurdish opposition. In 1984, the largely unknown Kurdish Worker's Party launched what would become a decade of attacks on Turkish forces, with frequent retaliatory purges and evacuations of Kurdish villages by Turkish soldiers. Proquest (Manning, 1996) But with Kurdish dreams of independence crushed, once-unified Kurdish political groups began fighting each other, until the U.S. brokered a cease fire in 1994. The division caused the rival groups to seek outside aid. One groupthe...
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...beliefs. Another thing, when I checked constitutions of other countries, I met a point where the matter emphasized on the development of science and technology. For instance, according to the constitution of Vietnam, the development of science and technology is a primary national policy and they see it as key point in the country's socio-economic development. Despite there are works on this area in Turkey last years, I think it should also be emphasized in the constitution because of its importance. Last point I want to mention is about the protection of the culture values. In the constitution of Vietnam, it is written that state promotes the values of cultures of all nationalities in the country. This is actually a significant point especially for Turkey that suffers from this issue at present. With a matter of promotion of ethnic rights and the culture values, the solution for issue of different nationalities (i.e. Kurdish...
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...Multicultural Project Planning Post War Iraq Introduction Multicultural project planning is a procedure of planning that gives consideration to all the cultures at the time the project is created. The project that includes a variation of diverse customs, concerning growth or conduct of the followers is referred as multicultural project. Although all participants in the project come from the same country, the project manager (PM) will still be dealing with several cultures and their outlooks and conducts (Rothman, 2001). The cultural dissimilarities lead the researchers to attempt in identifying several plans that would be appropriate to the project. The humanitarians look for the promotion of human welfare. When employed into a humanitarian organization, it is requested that such organization is extended into Iraq to help in the nation’s innovation struggle. Before the start of the project, there are three subjects that need to be examined. It is expected that part of the planning procedures is the existence of different ethnocentric tests. It is imperative for the researcher to be knowledgeable enough on the possible kinds of questions that will be given. Three Topics for Better Understanding I like to understand more about the facts of the battle, in what way people are affected by it and who are they, and also what is necessary from the organization to assist the nation’s renovation effort before starting the project. Learning the details about the war is the first that...
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...‘Is there anything that can be done to alleviate racism in our world?’ The issue of racism has for a long time been a severe matter at the forefront of society. Different racial groups have developed biases and prejudices against others and for many decades the consequences of this inexcusable charade of insensitivity have plagued the spheres we live in. Many scholars have questioned and hypothesized various means of eradicating racism in communities and many techniques and strategies have been devised. One such method is multiculturalism. This ideology is a derivative of the contact hypothesis, a concept developed by psychologist Gordon Allport, which theorizes that under appropriate conditions interpersonal contact is one of the most effective ways to reduce prejudice between majority and minority group members. If one has the opportunity to communicate with others, they are able to understand and appreciate different points of views involving their way of life. As a result of new appreciation and understanding, prejudice should diminish. Consequently, some policy makers and sociologists have surmised that by implementing this practice and creating “multicultural” communities, the severity of racism and racial prejudices could lessen or even be eradicated. For the most part, however, it seems that multiculturalism will do little or nothing to alleviate prejudice and discrimination. So we are left with the question: “Is racism permanent?” Are sociologists and policy makers enforcing...
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...Introduction to Sociology-Socio-Autobiography | Floating in a Sea of Cultures | Sarah Hazim Abass | | 31344 | March 22, 2013 | There are certain instances where some individuals believe where they are from properly defines who they are. Each time I am asked, 'where are you from?' I find myself struggling with a response. The short answer would be I am from Iraq and America; however, that is not entirely true. Responding Iraqi/American makes me feel as if I'm selling out my true identity. My Father is Iraqi while my mother is Iraqi with Kurdish, Spanish, and Turkish roots. My identity does not stop there; I was born in Duncan, Oklahoma and moved to Caracas, Venezuela at the age of seven, then moved to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia at the age of 12, and finally moved to the United Arab Emirates at the age of 19. Although I would be classified as a nomad child, this aspect has allowed me to learn about and understand other cultures without assuming my culture is considered normal and superior to others, otherwise known as ethnocentrism. Though now I feel I am able to view other individuals' culture in respect to their own culture, also known as being a culture relativist, I experienced a sense of confusion and anxiety when moving from one culture to another, otherwise known as culture shock. Moving from Duncan to Caracas was my first culture shock. Duncan is a small town where neighbors greet one another as they walk out of their homes to collect the mail or as they rake...
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... MANAGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES SERIES Managing Cultural Differences: Global Leadership Strategies for the 21 st Century, Sixth Edition Philip R. Harris, Ph.D., Robert T. Moran, Ph.D., Sarah V. Moran, M.A. Managing Cultural Diversity in Technical Professions Lionel Laroche, Ph.D Uniting North American Business—NAFTA Best Practices Jeffrey D. Abbot and Robert T. Moran, Ph.D. Eurodiversity: A Business Guide to Managing Differences George Simons, D.M. Global Strategic Planning: Cultural Perspectives for Profit and Non-Profit Organizations Marios I. Katsioulodes Ph.D. Competing Globally: Mastering Cross-Cultural Management and Negotiations Farid Elashmawi, Ph.D. Succeeding in Business in Eastern and Central Europe—A Guide to Cultures, Markets, and Practices Woodrow H. Sears, Ed.D. and Audrone Tamulionyte-Lentz, M.S. Intercultural Services: A Worldwide Buyer’s Guide and Sourcebook Gary M. Wederspahn, M.A. SIXTH EDITION MANAGING CULTURAL DIFFERENCES GLOBAL LEADERSHIP STRATEGIES ST FOR THE 21 CENTURY 25TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION PHILIP R. HARRIS, PH.D. ROBERT T. MORAN, PH.D. SARAH V. MORAN, M.A. JUDITH SOCCORSY Editorial Coordinator Elsevier Butterworth–Heinemann 200 Wheeler Road, Burlington, MA 01803, USA Linacre House, Jordan Hill, Oxford OX2 8DP, UK Copyright © 2004, Philip R. Harris, Robert T. Moran, Sarah V. Moran. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or...
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...Material Diversity Worksheet Answer each question in 50 to 150 words. Provide citations for all the sources you use. 1. What is diversity? Why is diversity valued? “ The term “diversity” is used broadly to refer to many demographic variables, including, but not limited to, race, religion, color, gender, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, age, education, geographic origin, and skill characteristics. America's diversity has given this country its unique strength, resilience and richness.” ( U.S. Department of Interior). It is what this country is all about, being free to be whatever we want to be. 2. What is ethnocentrism? In what ways can ethnocentrism be detrimental to a society? Ethnocentrism is where one culture will judge another on by their own beliefs or convictions. This is very detrimental to a society because they only see one side of things, and that is their side only. They will not give anyone a fair shot to disprove their beliefs or ideas, because they already have it in mind that they are wrong or a “plague” to their way of thinking. This is how many people get hurt or killed because of this. If you look at Hitler this would be a great example. 3. Define emigration and immigration. The term emigration and immigration are the same thing they just mean things to different people depending on their viewpoint. The definition for immigration is for a group of people moving from their national origin to settle somewhere else. As to...
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