Ecological Solidarity and the Kurdish Freedom Movement examines the ideas about social ecology and communalism behind the evolving political structures in the Kurdish region. The collection evaluates practical green projects, including the Mesopotamian Ecology Movement, Jinwar women’s eco-village, food sovereignty in a solidarity economy, environmental defenders in Iranian Kurdistan, and Make Rojava Green Again. Contributors also critically reflect on such contested themes as Alevi nature beliefs, anti-dam demonstrations, human-rights law and climate change, the Gezi Park protests, and forest fires. Throughout this volume, the contributors consider the formidable challenges to Kurdish initiatives, such as state repression, damaged infrastructure, and oil dependency. Nevertheless, contributors assert that the West has much to learn from the Kurdish ecological paradigm, which offers insight into social movement debates about development and decolonization.

Foreword by: John P. Clark
Contributions by: Azize Aslan, Ercan Ayboga, Fabiana Cioni, Isabel David, Dilsa Deniz, Pinar Dinc, Laurent Dissard, Ceri Gibbons, Ahmet Kerim Gultekin, Cihad Hammy, Allan Hassaniyan, Nicholas Hildyard, Domenico Patassini, Marlene A. Payva Almonte, Thomas James Phillips, Michel P. Pimbert, Clémence Scalbert-Yucel, Engin Sustam, Kumru Toktamis, Federico Venturini