Wendelmoet Hamelink – författare

This open access book presents new, empirically-based ethnographic and sociological studies of Kurdish women’s activism and its implications for their rights and the dynamics of citizenship across different social, cultural, and political fields. Organized into five sections, the book explores the ecological and cultural aspects of citizenship and activism; the interplay between activism and family life; the status of citizens and stateless people in marginalized conditions; and the historical development of Kurdish citizenship in various regions of Kurdistan and the diaspora. It offers an in-depth exploration of lived citizenship, social movements, and women activism in the Global South, as well as a comprehensive study of contemporary Kurdish society, politics, and culture. This book is an essential read for researchers in Kurdish studies, women’s and gender studies, family studies, peace and conflict studies, migration studies, environmental studies, and art and literary studies.

The Sung Home tells the story of Kurdish singer-poets (dengbêjs) in Kurdistan in Turkey, who are specialized in the recital singing of historical songs. After a long period of silence, they returned to public life in the 2000s and are presented as guardians of history and culture. Their lyrics, life stories, and live performances offer fascinating insights into cultural practices, local politics and the contingencies of state borders. Decades of oppression have deeply politicized and moralized cultural and musical production. Through in-depth ethnographic analysis Hamelink highlights the variety of personal and social narratives within a society in turmoil. Set within the larger global stories of modernity, nationalism, and Orientalism, this study reflects on different ideas about what it means to create a Kurdish home.