Kurdish Diaspora Political Activism in Europe with a Particular Focus on Great Britain

Abstract

The Kurdish diaspora is the largest stateless diaspora in the world and it is thought to be the most politically active migrant group in Europe. Their activities consequently caused a spill over of the conflict in Turkey to Europe and beyond. The diffusion of conflict outside Turkish borders reveals itself in frequent Kurdish protests and demonstrations, hunger strikes, and occasional violence between Turkish and Kurdish groups in Europe. Besides these activities, the diaspora works alongside numerous civil society organisations throughout Europe to raise awareness of the situation of the Kurds in Turkey. They have succeeded in putting the Kurdish issue on the European agenda and have lobbied European politicians and governments to put pressure on Turkey over a resolution to the Kurdish issue. This article is an attempt to chart the Kurdish diaspora and their political activism with regard to the Kurdish question in Turkey. It focuses on the reasons for the Kurdish influx into Europe and Kurdish diaspora engagements. Moreover, it aims to put special emphasis on the first and second generation Kurds in Europe, as well as the situation of Kurdish women in the diaspora. The paper includes a discussion devoted to the mobilization of the Kurdish diaspora in the UK.