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This talk will examine the conflict between the Turkish state and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), tracing it from its origins through the present-day peace talks. Sinclair and Oglesby will discuss historic grievances of the Kurdish community in Turkey, including past attempts at peace, and prospects for ending the decades-long conflict.Dr. Oglesby recently returned from Diyarbakir, Turkey, where she presented at a panel entitled "Unveiling the Truth and Transitional Justice." The panel was part of a workshop sponsored by the Diyarbakir Institute for Political & Social Research (DISA). Oglesby is a United Nations Rapporteur for the Historical Clarification Commission of Guatemala (Truth Commission) and associate professor in UA's School of Geography & Development. While in Diyarbakir, Dr. Oglesby conversed with local government representatives from the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) and the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) on the ongoing peace process. She also discussed the similarities and differences between the newly launched reconciliation attempts in Turkey and the still troublesome Guatemalan peace process.Christian Sinclair is assistant director of UA’s Center for Middle Eastern Studies and was recently elected president of the Kurdish Studies Association, an independent scholarly association dedicated to fostering understanding of the Kurds through academic engagement. Sinclair was invited to speak at a conference last month in Washington, DC, "The Kurdish Role in the New Middle East," which was sponsored by the BDP office in Washington. The aim of the conference was to explore new Kurdish dynamics in the region and to discuss pathways to peace for Kurds in both Turkey and Syria.DR. ELIZABETH OGLESBY,ASSOCIATE PROFESSORSCHOOL OF GEOGRAPHY & DEVELOPMENTCHRISTIAN SINCLAIRASSISTANT DIRECTOR, CMESPRESIDENT, KURDISH STUDIES ASSOCIATIONMENAS Colloquium SeriesFriday, November 8, 20133pm in Marshall 490.