Fırat, Melek MelehatÇagırga, Serdar2022-02-152022-02-152021http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12575/77449This dissertation examines Kurdish policies of Ottoman and Iran empires along with the states of Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria from a comparative perspective and in the context of border concept. It asserts that a partnership arising from the governing approach of empires was established between Kurds and aforementioned empires, while ground for "coexistence" was demolished as a result of centralization and modernisation efforts taking place in the 19th and 20th centuries. In this respect, first and foremost, it is emphasized that a transformation from frontiers to boundaries and borders took place concurrently with the centralization and modernisation processes of mentioned empires. This was accompanied by abolishment of emirates which performed a task of being a layer between Kurds and central administrations of Ottoman and Iran empires. Subsequently, it is asserted that the failure of centralization and modernisation attempts led to the disintegration of above-mentioned empires and paved the way for the formation of Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria. Kurds, in this new environment, was to be transformed from vassals of emperors to the citizens of newborn nation-states and their nationalist aspirations started to be seen as an existential source of threat. This claim is supported by revealing the provisions of founding documents of border agreements, security protocols as well as Sadabad and Baghdad Pacts regarding Kurds. The dissertation argues that although Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria differentiate from one another in terms of their socio-economic structures, linguistic, ethnic and social compositions they have built a common understanding and partnership in order to confront threats originating from Kurdish nationalist movements roughly since 1920s.trUluslararası ilişkilerdoctoralThesis