Summary
Overview
Rosa Burç, sociologist and researcher specializing in Kurdistan and social transformation, discusses the Kurdish question across Turkey, Iraq, Syria, and Iran. She explores the complex history of Kurdish identity, systematic state oppression, the emergence of alternative democratic models like Rojava, diaspora experiences in Germany, and ongoing negotiations for Kurdish autonomy and recognition. The conversation covers everything from the PKK's evolution to grassroots democratic experiments and the challenges facing Kurdish communities across borders.
Rosa's Background and Entry into Kurdistan Research
Rosa introduces herself as a sociologist working on social transformation and violence, with roots in Kurdistan research. Born in Germany to political refugees from Turkey, her father is a Yezidi Kurd and her mother has Armenian heritage. Growing up in a highly political household shaped her academic path, though she sees herself as a researcher rather than an activist. Her parents' experiences fleeing Turkey after the 1980 military coup and their activism in Germany deeply influenced her understanding of Kurdish issues.
- Rosa's parents were activists in Turkey's student movement after the 1980 coup and fled to Germany in 1989
- Her father is a Yezidi Kurd, her mother has Armenian background—both from leftist traditions
- Rosa studied politics and sociology in Bonn, international politics in London, and received her PhD in sociology in Florence
- She sees herself as a researcher with a drive for knowledge and education, not as an activist
" I was born into a somewhat political world. My parents are very anti-nationalist. They gave me values that I try to follow. "
" It's unfair if I call myself an activist. There are so many activists out there who really risk a lot for the ideals they stand for. "
Growing Up Kurdish in Germany: Discrimination and Resistance
Rosa shares personal experiences of growing up as a Kurdish child in Germany's education system. She describes how Turkish state propaganda infiltrated German schools through Turkish language teachers sent by the Turkish consulate, who taught nationalism rather than language. Her parents intervened when she was disciplined for incorrectly coloring the Turkish flag, exposing how German institutions outsourced language education to Turkey without oversight. These experiences illustrate the transnational reach of Turkish nationalism and the challenges faced by Kurdish families in diaspora.
- Turkish language classes in German schools were taught by teachers sent from Turkey who promoted Turkish nationalism
- Rosa was disciplined in second grade for coloring the Turkish flag 'incorrectly' with blue sky and yellow stars
- Her parents had the textbooks translated and showed school administrators they contained Turkish state propaganda
- A teacher later tried to make students recite the Turkish oath pledging their existence to the Turkish nation
" We learned how to color in a Turkish flag. That was part of the language instruction. "
" Germany outsourced this problem and said the teachers from Turkey can do the Turkish language instruction, without seeing that Turkey has a very strong nationalism problem. "
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