The Lesser of Many Evils: The Kurdish Question and the Syrian Civil War

This case is centered on the battle for the city of Kobani.  It focuses on the “Rojava Kurds” and their struggle to establish a self-governed autonomous region in Northern Syria.  Kobani offers a micro-illustration of the profound complexities that define Middle East politics.  The context for this case is the greater backdrop of the Syrian Civil war, the rise and expansion of ISIS, regional actors aligning along sectarian lines and political alliances and superpowers supporting coalitions and proxies that align with national interests.