Battlespace diaspora: How the kurds of Turkey revive, construct and translate the Kurdish struggle in London

This chapter examines the Kurdish diaspora's ethno-political battles for identity. Much work on the Kurdish diaspora has been carried out in relation to Kurds on the continent and has focused on the Kurds' antagonistic relationship with Turkey, examining Kurds' desire for the recognition of their ethnic identity and struggle, and their associated anti-Turkey mobilisation and activities. For example Demir (2012), Griffiths (2000), Wahlbeck (1998) have identified the ways in which Kurdish politics have featured in the lives and discourses of Kurds in the UK since the late 1980s. Eccarius-Kelly (2002) has provided a fascinating exposition of legislative pressures and political lobbying of Kurds in Germany to the European Parliament and the Council of Europe. Others, for example, Eliassi (2013) Leggewie (1996); Lyon and Uçarer (2001), Østergaard-Nielsen (2001) and Van Bruinessen (1998) have examined in detail the ways in which Kurdish diasporic activism has an impact on the Kurdish movement in Turkey and in Europe. Whilst acknowledging the importance of diasporic Kurds' mobilisation activities, this chapter will examine the translational activities of Kurds in London by presenting detailed ethnographic data and analysis on the various ways in which diasporic Kurds translate their suffering and rebellion to British audiences. The chapter will discuss how this translation involves the need to undertake ‘ethno-political tuition’; the difficulties of making the battle ‘palatable’ for British audiences; the ‘ethnic entrepreneurial labouring’ in which Kurds engage as well as how the translation of Kurdish culture, struggle and rebellion is central for the transnational battles of Kurds.