Tribal identity and alliance behaviour among factions of the Kurdish national movement in Iraq

Abstract

While most of the current literature on secessionist and nationalist movements treats them as a collective whole, the author of this paper argues that these movements do not always act as a cohesive unit in their attempts to achieve their nationalist aspirations. The article demonstrates that primary loyalty to sectarian group identity within these movements impacts on their alliance behaviour with the central government and foreign powers. The article integrates international relations theory and nationalism and group behaviour theories and applies them to factions of the Kurdish national movement in Iraq.