The Role of Kurdish Women Activists in Regional Human Security in the Middle East

MacTavish, Emma L (2024). The Role of Kurdish Women Activists in Regional Human Security in the Middle East. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

Kurdish women have been lauded for their participation in fighting extremism, particularly in relation to the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. However, their motivations and contributions in fighting against these groups is often obscured in Western-based media or patriarchy’s expectations of women and their respective role in society. For Kurdish women in the areas of Iraq and Syria, their understanding of gender, peace, and security is situated within Kurdish collective memory. This memory informs their perception of the past, allowing them to seek empowerment through the reproduction of the Kurdish historical narrative of gender equity and tolerance in ancient Mesopotamia, forming the bedrock of their views in present-day for why women seek stability and peace. Through the empowerment of their collective memory, Kurdish women engage in self-organization, transnational networking, and increasing women’s visibility. Through qualitative methodological research and semi-structured interviews with activists, politicians, and fighters from the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ), these narratives are reviewed in the context of peace, conflict, and gender. The thesis is informed by theories of intersectionality and postcolonialism, including gender as a social construction. Findings indicate that women have complex reasonings for participating in armed conflict; thereby rejecting the traditional and essentialist-based explanations of protecting their rights to motherhood or avenging fallen family members. This paper explores the different levels of this myth and how these are applied to present-day, and the inherent contradictions that arise from these intersections.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

Supervisor(s):