Columbus Was Going to India; Now India Has Arrived

This article discusses the rising prominence of Indian-origin individuals in American business and politics, contrasting it with Columbus's historical journey to find India.

Bulgarian Immigrants from Deliorman to Iğdır

This article explores the 1937 migration of Bulgarian Turks from Deliorman to Iğdır, detailing their arduous journey, settlement, and integration into Turkish society, enriched by personal anecdotes and historical newspaper accounts.

Dancing with Russian and Leningrad

This article explores the author's lifelong connection with the Russian language and culture, from childhood in Iğdır to a poignant encounter in post-Soviet Leningrad, alongside a tribute to Iğdır's first American daughter-in-law and a humorous anecdote.

French or Spanish? The Basque Dilemma in Turkey's Kurdish Question

This essay explores the Basque experience in Spain and France as a model for Turkey's Kurdish question, weighing cultural versus political autonomy.

From September 12th to Nepal: Forcibly Imposed Change

This essay contrasts the top-down military coup of September 12, 1980, in Turkey with bottom-up youth protests in Nepal, exploring how societies change and the destructive versus constructive paths of transformation.

Politics in the Shadow of Rent-Seeking: The Impasse of Developing Countries

In developing countries like Turkey, politics often revolves around the distribution of rent and patronage rather than ideological struggle, leading to a system where state resources are exploited for personal or group gain.

From Göbeklitepe to the Digital Age: The Mind's Journey and Universal Consciousness

This essay traces the evolution of the human mind from hunter-gatherer societies to the digital age, arguing that civilization is a history of software updates to the same brain, culminating in the need for universal consciousness.

Kiziroğlu Mustafa Bey and Muzaffer Şamiloğlu

This article explores the historical figure Kiziroğlu Mustafa Bey and the research conducted by the late Muzaffer Şamiloğlu, a former senator from Kars, whose life story and insights are shared.

Two Lines in Azerbaijani Politics: Rasulzade–Elchibey and Narimanov–Aliyev

This essay examines the two enduring ideological lines in Azerbaijani politics, represented by Rasulzade–Elchibey's romantic nationalism and Narimanov–Aliyev's pragmatic statism, and their impact on the nation's history.

The Kurdish Issue Is Not About Poverty, But About Existence

The Kurdish issue is fundamentally about identity, culture, and existence, not merely economic poverty, as historical evidence and global examples demonstrate.

Kurdish Tribal Structure and the Intergenerational Sacred Trust Against Assimilation

This essay argues that Kurdish tribal structures, dengbêjs, and madrasas were crucial in preserving Kurdish identity, language, and history against assimilationist pressures.

Nado (Nadir) Agha, Leader of the Gelturan Tribe, a Heroic Commander

This article recounts the turbulent history of Iğdır (Surmalu Uyezd) between 1917 and 1920, focusing on the heroic resistance led by Nado Agha against Armenian Dashnak forces.

The Impasses of Social Democratic Endeavors in Turkey

This article explores why social democracy has struggled to become a lasting social project in Turkey, examining historical, structural, and political obstacles.

The Mask of “Democratic Modernity”: Political Messianism and the Hypnosis of Kurdish Society

This article critically examines Abdullah Öcalan's "Democratic Modernity" as a repackaging of existing concepts, arguing it functions as a form of political messianism that exploits the Kurdish community's psychological vulnerabilities.

The Kurdish Society in the Grip of Mental Patterns and Hegemony: From Trauma to Liberation

This article explores how the Kurdish society, shaped by decades of conflict and trauma, has developed cognitive rigidity and emotional-ideological reflexes, hindering critical thought and perpetuating a hegemonic structure.

Hêvîya Derve: Opportunity and Defeat in Kurdish History

This essay explores the recurring cycle of hope and defeat in Kurdish history, arguing that reliance on external powers has consistently led to disappointment and strategic missteps.

The Poet of Two Peoples: Shahriar and Cîgerxwîn

This essay compares the lives, poetic styles, and political stances of Shahriar, a national poet for Azerbaijani Turks, and Cîgerxwîn, a national poet for the Kurdish people.

The Zilan Massacre: Anatomy of a Historical Turning Point

The Zilan Massacre of 1930 in Van's Erciş district was a mass killing of thousands of civilians, a pivotal event in the Republic's history that continues to spark debate about its nature, scope, and accountability.

The Silent Hero of Space: Laz Scientist Behçet Açıkmeşe

This article tells the story of Behçet Açıkmeşe, a Laz scientist from Turkey who developed critical algorithms for NASA's Mars missions, and reflects on his journey from a mountain village to a leading figure in space exploration.

He Was Kurdish, Shiite, Azeri: Abbasgulu Bey and Being From Iğdır

This article explores the life of Abbasgulu Bey Shadlinski, a multi-faceted historical figure from Iğdır, who embodied the region's diverse ethnic and religious identities, and whose legacy offers a path to unity amidst contemporary divisions.

An Open Letter to Our President (Education in the Mother Tongue)

This open letter to the President of Turkey argues for constitutional protection and support for education in Kurdish and Zaza languages, asserting it as a fundamental human right independent of political conditions.

Social Democracy in Turkey and the CHP

This article examines the complex trajectory of social democracy in Turkey, particularly within the Republican People's Party (CHP), highlighting its divergence from Western European models and its struggles with issues like the Kurdish question.

Three Books, Three Civilizations, Three Conceptions of Power: Kutadgu Bilig, Şerefname, and The Prince

This essay explores three seminal texts—Kutadgu Bilig, Şerefname, and The Prince—to compare different civilizations' approaches to political and moral guidance for rulers across various historical periods.

Remembering Through War and the Paradox of Empathy

This essay explores the paradox of human empathy, which often awakens only in response to violence and conflict, questioning why the existence of peoples, languages, and cultures is recognized primarily through war, genocide, and suffering.

The Silent Architect of the Kurdish Language: Îsahak Marogûlov

This article explores the life and work of Îsahak Marogûlov, a Syriac teacher and linguist who, alongside Erebê Şemo, created the first Latin-script Kurdish alphabet in 1928, officially adopted in 1929.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin From Iğdır and the Art of Diplomacy

This article explores the diplomatic achievements of Cardinal Pietro Parolin, a figure from Iğdır, and argues that his failure to be elected Pope represents a missed opportunity for global moral diplomacy.

Two Paths, One Goal: Missionaries and Dervishes

This essay explores the parallels and differences between Christian missionaries and colonizing dervishes in Turkish and Kurdish history, highlighting their shared goal of societal transformation despite their distinct methods and allegiances.

Theses on Kurdish Principalities and Transcaucasian Khanates

This essay explores seven theses comparing the historical, political, religious, linguistic, and cultural aspects of Kurdish principalities and Transcaucasian khanates, highlighting their shared fate under centralizing empires.

From Traditional Exploitation to Digital Exploitation

This article examines the historical background of traditional colonialism, analyzes how digital colonialism is a contemporary extension of this structure, and discusses how countries can develop resistance against it today.

Anschluss Syndrome

This article examines the historical and contemporary manifestations of "Anschluss syndrome," exploring how expansionist policies, whether nationalistic or sectarian, have historically led to conflict and continue to destabilize regions like the Middle East, particularly impacting Kurdish

World Mother Tongue Day and İhsan Aksoy

This article celebrates International Mother Tongue Day, highlighting the importance of mother tongues for cultural identity and education, and features a translation of Samed Behrengi's "The Little Black Fish" into Kurmanji by İhsan Aksoy, a pivotal work in Kurdish literature.

Can Abdullah Öcalan Become the Contemporary Idris-i Bitlisi?

This article explores two potential paths for Abdullah Öcalan's anticipated statement: a narrow call for disarmament or a broad initiative to integrate all Middle Eastern Kurds into Turkey's vision, drawing parallels with Idris-i Bitlisi.

The Triumph of Will: Yusuf Akgün (Sixth and Final Part)

Yusuf Akgün recounts his challenging return to his family in Iğdır, his subsequent struggles in the orphanage, and his eventual triumph over adversity through sports and education.

The Triumph of Will: Yusuf Akgün (Part Five)

Yusuf Akgün recounts his harrowing escape from a children's home in Trabzon to the streets of Istanbul, and his subsequent transfer to a dysfunctional children's home in Ağrı, where he faced abuse and planned his eventual escape to Iğdır.

The Dimdim Castle Resistance and a Kurdish Reality

This article explores the historical dimensions of the Dimdim Castle resistance, a significant event in Kurdish history, and its enduring lessons for the future.

The Triumph of Will: Yusuf Akgün – Part 4

Yusuf Akgün recounts his turbulent experiences in various orphanages, marked by bullying, creative acts of rebellion, and transfers between institutions.

The Triumph of Will: Yusuf Akgün – Part 3

Yusuf Akgün recounts his struggle for existence in a disabled children's home, his escape attempts, and his journey to self-reliance and academic success despite his physical challenges.