JSPES, Vol. 47, No. 1-2 (Spring-Summer 2022)
pp. 20-46

The Situation of the Kurds after the Popular Revolution in Syria: 2011-2020

Yusra Alkhalaileh, Ghaida Al-Biltaji, Atallah S. Al Sarhan

Dept. of Humanities and Social Sciences at The Hashemite University, Zarqa, Jordan.

This study deals with the Kurdish issue, which constitutes an important part of the basic components of the Syrian society, by introducing the Kurds into the Syrian society and their political and cultural demands, and by studying the nature of their relationship with the Syrian regime from the 20th century until 2020. It also clarifies the Kurdish attitude towards the Syrian revolution in 2011 and the developments regarding their situation after the revolution, explains their situation after the Syrian revolution and highlights the role of regional neighbors well as their political aspirations towards the Kurdish issue. The study used the historical approach, the descriptive analytical approach and the system analysis approach to represent the causes and motives that drive the Kurds to build an independent national state. The study concluded that the Kurds benefit from a historical opportunity to embody their cultural and political identity. The revolution also brought about radical changes in their political, military and economic reality. They have gained control of the areas in which they constitute a relative majority and the historical opportunity to establish their own self- rule, which opened the way for them to think about realizing their national dream of establishing an independent state.