History, Culture, Asia kurds , Literature, Identity Languages ,Iran, Turkey and Iraq kurds, History wars This book seeks to provide the reader with a basic understanding of significance of the concept of Kurdish identity as it exists in the Middle East and elsewhere. It is about how the Kurds see themselves and about how others see them. The Kurdish identity is also a function of how the Kurds interact. It goes beyond cultural awareness to human rights issues and political status. The Kurds are crucial to questions of peace and stability in Turkey, Iraq, Iran, and Syria. They are at the nexus of such Middle East issues as genocide, ethnic and religious conflict, the war against terrorism, and the search for democracy.