Day 3 - The Kurds

Usually the Kurds are considered to be the biggest stateless nation (with a 30-million population) in the world, which is not true. However, this statement would have been correct if we confined ourselves to the Middle East, but not on the global scale. These people are one of the most influential players in this war-torn and unstable area, where various world and regional players are vying for power and influence. They had an especially significant contribution in the war against ISIS, although they also are viewed as a threat by all three states where there is a significant minority of Kurds (especially in Turkey). It is hard to overestimate the significance of the Kurdish people in the politics of the Middle East. In Iran, we also have a large number of Kurds who are part of the multiethnic fabric of this country, where they play a significant role in the social, economic and political life of the Iranians. Our today’s lesson is dedicated to them.

Reading: For today’s reading, we have another excerpt (pages 215-217) from Helen Afshar’s “Iranian Identity”,  focusing on the Kurdish population of Iran.

An additional material presenting the Kurds, from a scholarly article by Masoud Motalebi, is also recommended for reference.

Listening: This short documentary by Iran International provides insights about the future of Kurdistan, a region that exists in the minds of many Kurds but on the map, each part of it is a part of a different country.

Subject of Conversation: The Kurdish Question (مسئله‌ی کرد)

In this discussion, students will explore “The Kurdish Question” through the lens of language, identity, and regional politics. The conversation will encourage students to use key vocabulary from the reading and listening materials to express nuanced opinions in Persian. They will discuss how Kurds are perceived within Iran and the broader Middle East, while practicing argumentation, asking clarifying questions, and engaging inexchange of views – all in Persian. 

Homework: 
- Read the article of today and study the vocabulary.
- Watch the video and answer the following questions: a. What is the biggest genocide that the Kurds have been subjected to and who is responsible for that? b. Who were fighting on the first line of resistance, when ISIS attacked in 1393? c. What does the 11-year-old Aisha want to become when she grows up? d. What items are the Kurdish smugglers usually carrying into Iran?
- Prepare for tomorrow’s discussion.

Vocabulary (Book Excerpt):

Persian Word Transcription English Translation
آریایی āryāyi Aryan
نواحی (مفرد: ناحیه) navāhi (sing. nāhiyye) regions
از حیث az heys-e with respect to, in regard to
اکثریت aksariyyat majority
اقلیت aqalliyyat minority
تعلق داشتن ta‘alloq dāštan to belong
در عوض dar ‘avaz instead, in return
همگونی hamguni homogeneity
در نگاه کلی dar negāh-e kolli in general terms
قلمرو qalamrou territory
احاطه شدن ehāte šodan to be surrounded
بروز نمودن boruz nemudan to appear
واگرا vāgarā divergent
رو به ضعف گذاشتن ru be za‘f gozāštan to weaken, to decline
شورش šureš uprising, rebellion
اعزامی e‘zāmi dispatched
خلیج اسکندرون xalij-e Eskandarun Gulf of Alexandretta
پیشروی pišravi advance, progression
سرکوب شدن sarkub šodan to be suppressed
به دار آویختن be dār āvixtan to hang (someone)
به وقوع پیوستن be voqu‘ peyvastan to occur, to take place
از هم گسیختگی az ham gosixtegi disintegration, fragmentation
ثبات sobāt stability
تشدیدکننده tašdidkonande intensifying

Vocabulary (Listening):

Persian Word Transcription English Translation
تپه‌ماهور tappemāhur moorland
برافراشته barafrāšte raised, elevated
مغرور maγrur proud
پراکنده بودن parākande budan to be scattered
کشتار koštār massacre
در هم آمیختن dar ham āmikhtan to mix together, to merge
قتل عام qatl-e ‘ām genocide, mass killing
تعجب‌آور ta‘ajjobāvar surprising
موجودیت سیاسی moujudiyyat-e siyāsi political entity
متعلق به mota‘alleq be belonging to
نسل‌کشی naslkoši genocide
زنده به گور شدن zende be gur šodan to be buried alive
سلاح شیمیایی selāh-e šimiyāyi chemical weapon
ناامید شدن nāomid šodan to become hopeless
اقلیم کردستان eqlim-e Kordestān Kurdistan Region
به رسمیت شناختن be rasmiyyat šenāxtan to recognize officially
نیروهای پیشمرگه niruhā-ye pišmarge Peshmerga forces
شایان توجه šāyān-e tavajjoh notable, remarkable
خط مقدم xatt-e moqaddam front line
گویی guyi as if, it seems
مخالفت کردن moxālefat kardan to oppose, to object
به اوج رسیدن be ouj residan to reach a peak
همه‌پرسی hameporsi referendum
قاطعانه qāte‘āne decisively
حریم هوایی harim-e havāyi airspace
نفت‌خیز naftxiz oil-rich
گسیل کردن gosil kardan to dispatch, to send
افسر afsar officer
تسلیحات taslihāt weapons, armaments
شکننده šekanande fragile, vulnerable
نفوذ nofuz influence, penetration
کولبر kulbar smuggler
جابجایی کالاها jābejāyi-ye kālāhā transportation of goods
جویا شدن juyā šodan to inquire, to ask