https://journals.tplondon.com/com <p>The Commentaries is a journal that publishes analysis, evaluations and assessments of contemporary developments in Turkey, Turkey’s role in the MENA region, and Turkey-EU relations. It does so for a broad audience of scholars, policy-makers, professionals and students. The aim of the commentaries is to draw attention to current advances, discuss policies and practices, and to stimulate critical discussion and theoretical reflection. The Commentaries is an initiative of the European Union Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC). However, views expressed in The Commentaries do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the EUTCC (EU-Turkey Civic Commission) nor its members.</p> <p>Submissions to The Commentaries are reviewed by the editorial board. Commentaries are published online. Print copies of The Commentaries are published on a yearly basis.</p> <p>The Commentaries is an <a href="https://avarjournal.com/avar/about#oanchor">Open Access</a> publication, allowing users to freely access, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to full-text articles for any lawful purpose without requiring permission from the publisher or author. </p> <p>Founded in 2021; launched in November 2021</p> <p>(Print) ISSN 2754-8791</p> <p>(Online) ISSN 2754-8805</p> en-US <p>CC Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0</p> joost.jongerden@wur.nl (Joost Jongerden) admin@tplondon.com (Commentaries Admin) Tue, 06 Feb 2024 12:36:31 +0000 OJS 3.2.1.2 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 60 https://journals.tplondon.com/com/article/view/3225 <p><em>This reappraisal of Turkey’s Kurdish insurgency picks up from where the earlier Part I left off, by revisiting from the perspective of a decade the involved rise and fall of the Kurdish Opening (2009-2015), Erdogan’s continuing “train to authoritarianism,” the failed Gulenist coup on 15 July 2016, and the surprising presidential elections held in May 2023 that reelected Erdogan yet again despite the polls seemingly showing that Kemal Kilicdaroglu, the opposition leader whom the pro-Kurdish HDP supported, might win.</em></p> Michael M. Gunter, Seevan Saeed Copyright (c) 2024 Michael M. Gunter, Seevan Saeed https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0 https://journals.tplondon.com/com/article/view/3225 Thu, 14 Mar 2024 00:00:00 +0000 https://journals.tplondon.com/com/article/view/3224 <p>As the modern Republic of Turkey—officially established on 29 October<span class="Apple-converted-space">&nbsp; </span>1923—enters its second century and crucial national elections for president and parliament were held on 14 and 28 May 2023 in which the Kurds played a crucial role, this is a particularly important time to reappraise the county’s long-continuing Kurdish insurgency and related events. Over the years, two over-arching, seemingly contradictory themes involving change and continuity have characterised Turkey’s policy toward the Kurds. During Ottoman times (1261-1923) and even into the early Republican days (1923- ), the Kurds were granted a type of separate status befitting their unique ethnic identity. However, probably largely because of the Sheikh Said Rebellion in 1925, Kemalist Turkey abruptly cancelled this policy and instead initiated one of denial, assimilation, and force. The fear was that the Kurds would potentially challenge Turkey’s territorial integrity and divide the state. Only gradually beginning in the 1970s and 1980s, when this position of, denial, assimilation, and the fist had clearly failed, did Turkey cautiously and incrementally begin again reversing its policy and granting the Kurds some type of recognition. Thus this article also will cover the PKK insurgency, as well as Abdullah (Apo) Ocalan’s capture and its consequences. Subsequently, Part II of this reappraisal will bring events up to the present in 2024.</p> Michael M Gunter, Seevan Saeed Copyright (c) 2024 Michael M Gunter, Seevan Saeed https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0 https://journals.tplondon.com/com/article/view/3224 Tue, 06 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000