Abstract:
This thesis examines traditional and informal dispute resolution practices used by Kurds in Istanbul, who were internally displaced in the 1990s and migrated to Istanbul, for handling their daily disputes. It discusses that individuals and communities try to use the best options or easiest methods for handling their daily disputes as well as they try to use informal legal mechanisms through which they can maintain their customary law or traditional legal practices. More specifically, this thesis focuses on how displaced Kurds in Istanbul handle their disputes and how they maintain their customary law and traditional practices through using an informal dispute resolution process. When Kurds confronted with disputes, it is common to use their own traditional methods, customary ways, and informal practices, which they also carried to urban areas. This thesis demonstrates that customary and traditional legal practices used by Kurds can be implemented in a well-organized manner in urban area.
