A seminal work in the field of Kurdish studies, Wadie Jwaideh?s pioneering research, published for the first time, presents a detailed analysis of the early phases of Kurdish nationalism and offers a framework within which to understand the movement?s later development. The thesis was never published during Jwaideh?s lifetime, but its fame spread by word of mouth and many scholars have recognized its importance not only as a study of the earlier periods of Kurdish nationalism but also as a model of understanding its subsequent history. Jwaideh was born in the southern Iraqi city of Basra, into an Arabic-speaking Christian family that later moved to Baghdad. Because of his intimate knowledge of the land and its people, Jwaideh developed a shrewd insight into Kurdish society and politics. He convincingly demonstrates the rich historical roots of the Kurdish national movement, offering a new interpretation to the Kurdish political circumstance, which is often viewed as a series of isolated events triggered by economic upheaval or political dissatisfaction. This complex and layered history of the Kurdish nationalist movement offers a valuable perspective from which to view the current conditions in Iraq. Jwaideh?s sensitive and prescient treatment of this region gives his study great contemporary relevance.