The State as an Inheritance and the Exclusion of Kurds Throughout History: An Analysis of Structural Racism in Light of Walter Benjamin's (1918-1946) Philosophy of History

Abstract

This study provides a philosophical and historical analysis of the nation-state paradigm and the mechanisms of Kurdish marginalization in the Middle East between 1918 and 1947, through the lens of Walter Benjamin’s theses on the philosophy of history. The research operates on the hypothesis that the modern state in this region was constructed as a "political and cultural heritage" reserved for dominant nations, effectively excluding Kurds not only from political sovereignty but also from "historical time" itself. By employing Benjamin's critique of the "history of the victors" and his rejection of "homogeneous and empty time," the study demonstrates how structural racism became deeply embedded within the state apparatus. During this transformative period, Kurds were treated as actors "outside of history" or "pre-historical," a form of historical violence designed to decouple a national group from the trajectory of progress and modernity to legitimize their suppression. The study concludes that the "exclusion from time" served as a fundamental state tool for institutionalizing systemic racism, whereby Kurdish history was depicted either as a mere appendix or as a "dangerous interruption" within the state’s official temporal narrative. Ultimately, the research asserts that understanding the Kurdish issue is impossible without deconstructing the temporal and historical structures imposed by the state. This analysis offers a novel philosophical perspective on Kurdish statelessness, critiquing the foundations of political modernity. The importance of this article is that for the first time it brings contemporary concepts of Walter Benjamin's philosophy of history into the study of regional political history and the Kurdish cause in particular. The research gives new scientific value to academic centers because it moves away from classical and political narratives and presents the Kurdish problem as a human and temporary crisis.