The Kurdish Students Movement in Iraq (1926-1970)

This book is an academic study translated from Arabic, discussing the history of the Kurdish students movement and their professional and political struggle in Iraq between the years (1926-1970), consisting of an introduction, a preface, four parts, and appendices.

 The preface discusses the beginning of the emergence of the Kurdish student class and the rise of political and organizational awareness among students at the end of the Ottoman Empire era, followed by steps towards establishing the first Kurdish student organization called the Hivi Association in the year 1912 and the role of Kurdish students in that association and those organizations.

The first part is about the role of Kurdish students in Kurdish cultural associations and political organizations in Iraq between the years (1926-1946), and it includes two topics: the role of Kurdish students in forming cultural associations and political organizations until the independence of Iraq in the year 1932, such as the Nahda (Rebirth) School Association, the associations that were formed after the settlement of the Mosul Vilayet, the Youth Association, the Kurdish Aid Association, and the Kurdish Scout Association. The development of the role of Kurdish students in the post-independence phase of Iraq, such as the Simko Shikak Club, the Kurdish Freedom Association, the Brusk Association, the Darkar Association, the student vanguard in the Hiwa Party, and the role of students in Kurdish leftist associations and organizations.

The second part is dedicated to the development of Kurdish student organizations in Iraq between the years (1946-1970), and it consists of two topics that discuss the efforts to create a student organization in Iraq, such as the initial efforts to form the Students Union in Iraq, the establishment of the first student organization in Iraq, the emergence of a Kurdish student movement organization after the establishment of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (Party) in the year 1946, and the formation of the Kurdish Students Organization (K.P.X) (Association for the Advancement of Education) in the year 1946 in Koya, the (Al-Sibaa) Congress of the year 1948, and the General Union of Students of Iraq. The formation of the Kurdish Students Organization in Iraq as the establishment and development of the Kurdistan Students Union.

The third part, which includes two topics, is about the position of students and Kurdish student organizations regarding internal and external political developments between the years 1926-1970. Internal developments such as the Kurdish nationalist liberation movement, the events and political developments of the period between the years (1926-1961), the Barzan uprising between the years 1943-1945, the students' position regarding the government's policy towards the Barzanis, the September 11 Revolution and its developments from 1961-1970, the split from the Party in the year 1964, and the March 11, 1970 Agreement. Iraqi and Arab political developments such as the May 1941 movement, the January 1948 uprising (Wathba), the November 1952 uprising, the July 14, 1958 Revolution and the new regime, the February 8, 1963 coup, the Palestine issue, and the tripartite aggression against Egypt in the year 1956.

The fourth part sheds light on the cultural and social activities of the Kurdish students movement in Iraq, such as journalism and publishing, books and articles, participation in international festivals, presenting plays and artistic performances, celebrating the national Newroz holiday, social gatherings, and other activities.