The Early History of Kurdish Studies (1787–1901)

Abstract

The history of Kurdish studies in the period before the 20th century has been neglected. In the few instances where it has been discussed, it was treated as a mere opening act paving the way for later developments. This has led to anachronistic projections of the contemporary state of the field onto the past. Furthermore, the uncontextualized approach generally adopted has not allowed for a critical account of the field’s development and the way it reflected global trends and evolutions. By doing this work of contextualization, this article wishes to provide a better understanding of the way the field developed before the 20th century and to identify the specific characteristics that emerged through this development.