Migration and the Kurdish Diaspora: The Impact of Globalization and World Connectedness

Abstract

Although migration may mean assimilation for many transnational communities, Kurdish ambivalence towards assimilation is evident. It is also true that Kurds may be more receptive to assimilation due to their minority background in their country of origin and experience of adaptation to the dominant culture and language. Although the presence of the Kurdish diaspora is relatively new in the European context, it has developed as a transnational community, enabled and facilitated by global communications technologies that can be used to politically mobilize resources to support Kurds in the Middle East. This research aims to understand how globalization influences Kurdish migration and diaspora and how world connectedness contributes to the formation of Kurdish diasporas in various parts of the world. This research uses a qualitative approach with descriptive methods. The results of this research reveal that Kurdish migration and diaspora in the context of the impact of globalization and world connectedness reflect complex dynamics. The process of globalization, especially through the information and transportation technology revolution, has provided a significant impetus to Kurdish migration movements, creating an active and transnationally engaged diaspora. The Kurdish diaspora, faced with the challenges of social and economic integration, uses social media and digital activism to maintain ethnic identity and fight for political issues. The history of Kurdish migration, involving the post-First World War and Second World War periods, as well as internal conflicts in the countries of origin, provides the backdrop for the unique role of the Kurdish diaspora in building community networks and maintaining their transnational networks.