"This book is an important contribution to the literature. It will be of particular interest to scholars of critical terrorism studies, conflict resolution and those who research the resolution of the Kurdish Conflict. ... this is an interesting, engaging, easy-to-read book that raises very important questions on the Kurdish Conflict in Turkey and pushes forward the boundaries of this area of study." (Recep Onursal, Critical Studies on Terrorism, November 28, 2019)
1. Why Study the PKK versus Turkey Conflict
2. The "War of the Flea"
3. The Kurdish “Phoenix” (2004-2012)
4. The "Solution Process" (2013-2015)
5. The Two-Fold “War on Terror” (2015-2017)
6. What Lies Ahead
Spyridon Plakoudas is Assistant Professor in Strategy and Security at the American University in the Emirates, UAE.
For readers of Strategy and IR and researchers on the Middle East, the intermittent war between the PKK and Turkey (1984–present) forms the ideal case study as every possible outcome (military victory, peace negotiations and stalemate) and aspect (terrorism, insurgency and civil unrest) of ethnic civil wars have manifested over the years. This monograph offers an up-to-date analysis of an irregular conflict (2004–2017) which spilled over to neighbouring states since 2011 and continues to shape the Middle East through the lens of Strategic Studies.
Spyridon Plakoudas is Assistant Professor in Strategy and IR at the American University in the Emirates and Vice President of the think tank KEDISA.