David Romano, Missouri State University, USAMehmet Gurses, Florida Atlantic University, USAOfra Bengio, Tel Aviv University, Israel John A. Booth, University of North Texas, USANader Entessar, University of South Alabama, USAMichael M. Gunter. Tennessee Technological University, USARobert Lowe, London School of Economics, UK David T. Mason, Castleberry Peace Institute, USAEva Savelsberg, European Center for Kurdish Studies (ECKS), GermanyGareth Stansfield, University of Exeter, UKGüne? Murat Tezcür, Loyola University Chicago, USANicole F. Watts, San Francisco State Universitym, USAOzum Yesiltas, Florida International University, USA

• Introduction – The Kurds as Barrier or Key to Democratization; David Romano and Mehmet Gurses PART I: AUTHORITARIANISM AND THE KURDS 1. Turkey, Kemalism and the 'Deep State'; Michael Gunter 2. Iraq, Arab Nationalism and Obstacles to Democratic Transition; Ozum Yesiltas, Florida International University 3. Kurds, Persian Nationalism, and Shi'i Rule: Surviving Dominant Nationhood in Iran; Gareth Stansfield 4. The Syrian-Kurdish Movements: Obstacles Rather than Driving Forces for Democratization; Eva Savelsberg PART II: DEMOCRACY IN DIVIDED SOCIETIES 5. Democracy, Civil War, and the Kurdish People Divided Between Them; David T. Mason 6. Communal Groups, Civil Conflicts, and Democratization in Latin America; John A. Booth, University of North Texas 7. Democracy and Self-Determination in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq; Nicole F. Watts PART III: THE KURDS AND DEMOCRATIZATION 8. The Ebb and Flow of Armed Conflict in Turkey: An Elusive Peace; Gunes Tezcur 9. The Iraqi Kurdish View on Federalism – Not Just for the Kurds; David Romano 10. Between a Rock and Hard Place: The Kurdish Dilemma in Iran; Nader Entessar 11. The Emergence of Western Kurdistan and the Future of Syria; Robert Lowe PART IV: REGIONAL ISSUES 12. From War to Democracy: Transborder Kurdish Conflict and Democratization; Mehmet Gurses 13. Ankara, Erbil, Baghdad: Relations Fraught with Dilemmas; Ofra Bengio

'Leading experts on contemporary Kurdish affairs bring us up to date on the prospects for democracy and peace for Kurds and the states in which they principally reside. With sensitivity to the cultures and histories of the Middle East, essays closely analyze developments inside each country and in transnational Kurdish interactions. Truly comparative and theoretically informed by the larger scholarly literature, this collection is a valuable resource for scholars interested in comparative ethnic politics, nationalism and self-determination, democratization, civil war, and civil peace.' - Philip G. Roeder, University of California, USA