The online version of the Encyclopedia of the Kurds was officially launched on May 15, Kurdish Language Day.

The Encyclopedia is published by Brill, a prestigious and internationally recognized publisher renowned for its contributions to academic publishing and encyclopedia production.

Brill launched the website this month and the first two volumes (History and Politics) will be published next year.

The Encyclopedia is conceived as a comprehensive, authoritative reference resource offering a multidimensional exploration of the Kurdish people and the broader region of Kurdistan. The project will initially comprise ten thematic handbooks, each containing extended scholarly essays addressing a broad spectrum of topics across disciplines such as history, political science, anthropology, literature, linguistics, the arts, architecture, music, migration studies, gender studies, media, and cinema.

Besides multiple print volumes, this ambitious project will consist of a dynamic online edition. The digital platform will integrate the contents of all volumes and include around 100 additional short entries per thematic volume, with contributions from more than 1,000 scholars worldwide. The online edition will be continuously updated, both through the revision of existing articles and the addition of new entries.

“As a Kurdish historian, I’ve long felt the absence of a comprehensive reference work dedicated to the Kurdish world,” the Encyclopedia’s Editor-in-Chief Metin Atmaca told Kurdistan Chronicle. “This project is both a scholarly obligation and a personal commitment to ensuring that the complexities of Kurdish life are documented, studied, and shared widely.

“The Encyclopedia of the Kurds aspires to be the most comprehensive and authoritative reference work on Kurdish history, society, and culture to date. By bringing together hundreds of scholars from across disciplines and geographies, we aim to document the richness and complexity of the Kurdish experience in all its dimensions.”

Furthermore, Atmaca added that the Encyclopedia is not just about preserving knowledge. “It is about creating a dynamic, evolving platform that reflects the diversity, resilience, and creativity of Kurdish communities throughout history and across borders.”

Atmaca also added that the Encyclopedia of the Kurds represents a long-term and evolving endeavor that “relies on the distinguished contributions of scholars worldwide. The editorial team will keep interested academics informed at each stage of the project’s development.”