Nomadic Kurdish Tribes in Eastern Anatolia

PREFACE TO THE NEW EDITION

The first edition of the book Nomadic Kurdish Tribes in Eastern Anatolia was published by Yurt Kitap-Yayın in Ankara in April 1992. This is the first edition in IBV.

The tribe is a very important institution in the historical and social development of the Kurdish society. In this regard, it is useful to consider the tribe carefully and examine it in detail.

Of course, tribe is not a social institution unique to Kurds. For example, Arab tribes and Turkmen tribes can also be mentioned. For example, Arab tribes generally live in desert regions, while Kurdish tribes live in both plains and mountainous areas. The areas where tribes live also affect and shape their attitudes and behaviors.

About 50-60 years ago, for example in the 1960s, we did not have enough information about the tribe, the Kurdish tribes. In the following years, research and studies examining the historical, social and cultural development of the Kurdish society increased, and in this process, our knowledge about tribes began to increase.

While examining the historical and social development of the Kurdish society, concepts such as settled tribes-nomadic tribes, conflicts between tribes, conflicts between tribes and villagers, and the central government's efforts to settle nomadic tribes are frequently seen. It would be useful to examine these in various times and places.

This book contains three articles. In the article Social Change in Nomadic Kurdish Tribes Moving in Eastern Anatolia (Societies in Transition) the tribal institution is discussed in general. In the second article, Nomadism: Alikan Tribe is specifically examined. The third article is titled Feudal Social Structure and Eastern Anatolia.

I would like to thank all our friends who contributed to the creation of this new edition.

İsmail Beşikci

January 2023, Istanbul