The Kurds are the worlds' largest ethnic group without a state of their own. Most live in the mountainous region historically known as Kurdistan; however, this region, which includes parts of Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria, never existed as a political entity. Under the rule of others, the Kurds were discriminated against and sometimes persecuted, so the dream of a national home holds a powerful grip on the Kurdish imagination. Many Kurds hope that...

"Three young Americans captured by Iranian forces and held in captivity for two years tell their story. In summer 2009, Shane Bauer, Joshua Fattal, and Sarah Shourd were hiking in Iraqi Kurdistan when they unknowingly crossed into Iran and were captured by a border patrol. Accused of espionage, the three Americans ultimately found themselves in Tehran's infamous Evin Prison, where they discovered that pooling their strength of will and relying on...

Kurdistan was erased from world maps after World War I, when the victorious powers carved up the Middle East, leaving the Kurds without a homeland. Today the Kurds, who live on land that straddles the borders of Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria, are by far the largest ethnic group in the world without a state. Renowned photographer Susan Meiselas entered northern Iraq after the 1991 Gulf War to record the effects of Saddam Hussein's campaigns against...

Arameans; Kurdistan; history.

A 17-year-old Kurdish refugee, Bilal, has struggled his way through Europe in an attempt to reunite with his girlfriend, who has emigrated to England. When he is stopped in France, he decides to swim the English Channel to complete his journey. While training at a local swimming pool he meets Simon, a middle-aged swim instructor, who agrees to help Bilal, in order to regain the affection of his wife.