This paper is based on the ongoing studies that examines the notion of producing knowledge and pursuing academic activities under exceptional circumstances.It is argued that academia and scientific institutions are un...This paper is based on the ongoing studies that examines the notion of producing knowledge and pursuing academic activities under exceptional circumstances.It is argued that academia and scientific institutions are under scrutiny in terms of their inde-pendence,neutrality and quality of producing knowledge and sci-entific achievements.In the countries that have lesser chance for freedom of expression and dialogue atmosphere,scientific institu-tions are naturally under less advantage academic conditions.Arguably,they are directly connected to the interests and the will of the state or powerful groups in society.Thus,this paper tries to shed light on the conditions within which universities and aca-demic institutions in war zones and areas besieged by chaos and state failure.The paper is written with a focus on Syria and par-ticularly on North Eastern Self Administration entity of Rojava.The paper tries to look at the challenges that these institutions are facing,in terms frameworks and recognition,freedom of works and limitations,risk of life and safety,and most importantly,the quality of producing knowledge and their academic staff.Another aspect that this paper tries to highlight is the claim of providing new and different style of knowledge productions out of the frame of mainstream style of academia in the world.How alterna-tive and radical modes and methods of teaching and learning can develop in such an environment?What forms of relations between academia and society are developed,and what are the main obstacles in front of these relations?For this purpose,the focus will be on two recently established universities in Rojava,'University of Rojava and Kobane University'.My contribution is based on my experiences of working as an instructor of social and political thoughts at the Institute of Social Sciences at the University of Rojava as well as my multiple visits to the actual Area of Syria and Rojava and conducting interviews with students,staff,and education policy makers in this region.展开更多
Despite never obtaining their own nation-state,the Kurdish people have struggled for their social,cultural and political rights for a century since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.While they have much in common wit...Despite never obtaining their own nation-state,the Kurdish people have struggled for their social,cultural and political rights for a century since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.While they have much in common with other ethnic groups in the region,the Kurdish people have their own distinct cultural,historical and political identity.Stateless yet with a strong sense of national identity,the Kurds have constituted a source of both stability and instability in the Middle East.This paper presents a brief historical overview of the Kurds and their social,political and strategic positions in the region,especially in the four main countries in which they are situated,and considers current and future regional developments relating to the Kurdish question.展开更多
After nine decades of denial,military confrontation and securitisation of the Kurdish problem,the AKP government outspokenly addressed the Kurdish question,wanting to change the course of Turkish-Kurdish conflict by i...After nine decades of denial,military confrontation and securitisation of the Kurdish problem,the AKP government outspokenly addressed the Kurdish question,wanting to change the course of Turkish-Kurdish conflict by introducing the notion of Kurdish opening.Despite the claims of the founder of the Turkish Republic Kemal Ataturk of reconciliation within his country and with the world,Turkey still witnesses conflicts and tensions with all the countries of the region and domestically,with various secular and religious factions,and with the Kurds in particular.Since the establishment of Turkey as a modern state,peace and prosperity have not clearly been seen.Military coups have frequently overthrown civilian governments in the political arena.One of the very visible and complicated obstacles to peace and prosperity is the Kurdish problem.After three decades of costly war between the state and the Kurdish movement,in the AKP era for the first time,public negotiations between the two took place.The Kurdish movement became invested in this relatively peaceful environment and started to promote cultural nationalism on a large scale.Suddenly,however,the state abruptly ceased the peace process with representatives of the Kurdish movement and detained thousands of its activists.Some southeastern areas have faced destruction,and about one million civil habitants have been displaced.This article seeks to explain why the state has returned to its old policy of security and military approach,whilst in the past few years it had repeatedly claimed that it was possible to deal with the Kurdish question through peace and reconciliation.The research tries to examine the complex relationship between the Turkish state and the Kurdish movement.展开更多
文摘This paper is based on the ongoing studies that examines the notion of producing knowledge and pursuing academic activities under exceptional circumstances.It is argued that academia and scientific institutions are under scrutiny in terms of their inde-pendence,neutrality and quality of producing knowledge and sci-entific achievements.In the countries that have lesser chance for freedom of expression and dialogue atmosphere,scientific institu-tions are naturally under less advantage academic conditions.Arguably,they are directly connected to the interests and the will of the state or powerful groups in society.Thus,this paper tries to shed light on the conditions within which universities and aca-demic institutions in war zones and areas besieged by chaos and state failure.The paper is written with a focus on Syria and par-ticularly on North Eastern Self Administration entity of Rojava.The paper tries to look at the challenges that these institutions are facing,in terms frameworks and recognition,freedom of works and limitations,risk of life and safety,and most importantly,the quality of producing knowledge and their academic staff.Another aspect that this paper tries to highlight is the claim of providing new and different style of knowledge productions out of the frame of mainstream style of academia in the world.How alterna-tive and radical modes and methods of teaching and learning can develop in such an environment?What forms of relations between academia and society are developed,and what are the main obstacles in front of these relations?For this purpose,the focus will be on two recently established universities in Rojava,'University of Rojava and Kobane University'.My contribution is based on my experiences of working as an instructor of social and political thoughts at the Institute of Social Sciences at the University of Rojava as well as my multiple visits to the actual Area of Syria and Rojava and conducting interviews with students,staff,and education policy makers in this region.
文摘Despite never obtaining their own nation-state,the Kurdish people have struggled for their social,cultural and political rights for a century since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.While they have much in common with other ethnic groups in the region,the Kurdish people have their own distinct cultural,historical and political identity.Stateless yet with a strong sense of national identity,the Kurds have constituted a source of both stability and instability in the Middle East.This paper presents a brief historical overview of the Kurds and their social,political and strategic positions in the region,especially in the four main countries in which they are situated,and considers current and future regional developments relating to the Kurdish question.
文摘After nine decades of denial,military confrontation and securitisation of the Kurdish problem,the AKP government outspokenly addressed the Kurdish question,wanting to change the course of Turkish-Kurdish conflict by introducing the notion of Kurdish opening.Despite the claims of the founder of the Turkish Republic Kemal Ataturk of reconciliation within his country and with the world,Turkey still witnesses conflicts and tensions with all the countries of the region and domestically,with various secular and religious factions,and with the Kurds in particular.Since the establishment of Turkey as a modern state,peace and prosperity have not clearly been seen.Military coups have frequently overthrown civilian governments in the political arena.One of the very visible and complicated obstacles to peace and prosperity is the Kurdish problem.After three decades of costly war between the state and the Kurdish movement,in the AKP era for the first time,public negotiations between the two took place.The Kurdish movement became invested in this relatively peaceful environment and started to promote cultural nationalism on a large scale.Suddenly,however,the state abruptly ceased the peace process with representatives of the Kurdish movement and detained thousands of its activists.Some southeastern areas have faced destruction,and about one million civil habitants have been displaced.This article seeks to explain why the state has returned to its old policy of security and military approach,whilst in the past few years it had repeatedly claimed that it was possible to deal with the Kurdish question through peace and reconciliation.The research tries to examine the complex relationship between the Turkish state and the Kurdish movement.
