Abdullah Öcalan: The Rise of a Political Icon and the Cult of Personality in Kurdish Leadership
Abstract
This research examines Abdullah Öcalan’s rise as a political icon in Kurdish political movement and the development of a cult of personality around him. It analyzes his ideological evolution and role in the Kurdish nationalist movement, as well as the significance of his imprisonment on the dynamics of the PKK. The research highlights the narratives created around his personality and leadership, as well as his self-assessment in the journey of Kurdish ethnic nationalism. Moreover, it explores the shifts in his ideologies and their reflections among his followers and the impacts on Kurdish political arena in Turkey. Key words: Personality Cult, Abdullah Öcalan, PKK, Kurd, Kurdistan
Keywords
Personality CultAbdullah ÖcalanPKKKurdKurdistan
References
APA Dictionary of Psychology, Cult of Personality, https://dictionary.apa.org/cult-of- personality Bakır, İ, (2025), Hiyerarşik Barıştan Yatay ve Paradigmal Barışa, Özgür Politika, from https://www.ozgurpolitika.com/haberi-hiyerarsik-baristan-yatay-ve-paradigmal- barisa-199898 Bakır, İ., (2025), Güneşe Akar Özgür Nehirler, Özgür Politika, from https://www.ozgurpolitika.com/haberi-gunese-dogru-akar-ozgur-nehirler-204693 Bakır, İ., (2025), Ortadoğu Cehenneminden Çıkışın Yegane Yolu, Özgür Politika, from https://www.ozgurpolitika.com/haberi-ortadogu-cehenneminden-cikisin-yegane-yolu- 197717 BBC News Türkçe (2025), PKK ile Yeni Dönem İçin İlk Adım, https://www.bbc.com/turkce/articles/czdv8lgn78yo Çandar, C., (2012), Leaving the Mountain: How May the PKK Lay Down Arms?, TESEV, Istanbul Çelik D., (2025), Demokratik Siyasal Mücadele, Özgür Politika, from https://www.ozgurpolitika.com/haberi-demokratik-siyasal-mucadele-202855 Çelik, D., (2025), Günün Panormasaı, Özgür Politika, from https://www.ozgurpolitika.com/haberi-gunun-panoramasi-199510 CITINO, R., 2020), Death of the Duce, Benito Mussolini Retrieved February 2, 2026, from https://www.nationalww2museum.org/death-of-benito-mussolini CUMHURIYET Newspaper, Atatürk Bir Yarı-İlahtir, from https://egazete.cumhuriyet.com.tr/katalog/192/1933 Davies, S., (1997), Popular Opinion in Stalin’s Russia, Cambridge University Press Demirtaş, N., (2025), Bilgelik Yolu, Özgür Politika, from https://www.ozgurpolitika.com/haberi-bilgelik-yolu-197992 Falasca-Zamponi, S., (1997), Fascist Spectacle: The Aesthetic of Power in Mussolini’s Italy, University of California Press Gedik, H., (2025), Türkiye’nin Geleceği İmralı’dan Geçiyor, Özgür Politika, from https://www.ozgurpolitika.com/haberi-turkiyenin-gelecegi-imralidan-geciyor-204793 KCK- INFO, Interviews and Statements, from https://kck-info.com/statements/ , Interviews https://kck-info.com/interviews/ KCK-INFO, (2023), Our Inspiration, from https://kck-info.com/ourinspiration/ KIRILL, P., & STEPANOV, D., (2021), Ruler Personality Cults from Empire to Nation-State and Beyond, Routledge Langer, W., C., (1999), A Psychological Analysis of Adolph Hitler, Office of Strategic Services, Washington, D.C. Leese, D., (2021), Mao Cult, Rhetoric and Ritual in China’s Cultural Revolution, Cambridge University Press Merriam-Webster, “Personality cult.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/personality%20cult. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026. Mezopotamya Ajansı, (2022), 23 Yıllık Kesintisiz Eylem, from https://mezopotamyaajansi35.com/ANALIZ/content/view/161417 MUDDE, C., & KALTWASSER, C., R., (2017), Populism: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford University Press Öcalan, A., (1978), Kürdistan Devriminin Yolu-Manifesto, Serxwebun Press. Öcalan, A., (1996), Devrimin Dili ve Eylemi, Serxwebun Press Öcalan, A., (2025) Perspeftif, Serxewbun Newspaper, from https://serxwebun.org/serxwebun-2025/ E-ISSN 2504-883X P-ISSN 2695 2432 Roj News, (2025), Uluslararası Komplo Sonrası Gelişen Eylemler, from https://rojnews.news/tr/uluslararasi-komplo-sonrasi-gelisen-eylemler/ Sarıözen, V., (2025), Apocu Çıkış Yolu, Özgür Politika, from https://www.ozgurpolitika.com/haberi-apocu-cikis-yolu-206543 Sarıözen, V., (2025), Marxist Düşüncein Yolu Apocu Düşüncede Mündemiçtir, Özgür Politika, from https://www.ozgurpolitika.com/haberi-marksist-dusuncenin-ozu-apocu- dusuncede-mundemictir-206246 Sarıozen, V., (2025), Teoride Tartışma, Programda Birlik, Özgür Politika, from https://www.ozgurpolitika.com/haberi-teoride-tartisma-programda-birlik-207126 Sarıozen, V., (2026), Apocu Alternatif ve Çaresizler, Özgür Politika, from https://www.ozgurpolitika.com/haberi-apocu-alternatif-ve-caresizler-207774 SERXWEBÛN Newspaper, 1982-2025, from https://serxwebun.org/serxwebun/ Tar, C., (2025), İmralı Kapıları, Özgür Politika, from https://www.ozgurpolitika.com/haberi- imrali-kapilari-206177 Waite, R., G., L., (1977), The Psychopatic God: Adolf Hitler, Basic Books Weber, M., (1968), Economy and Society: An Outline of Interpretive Sociology, Bedminster Press Wells, H., G., (1934), Experiment in Biography, Little Brown and Company, Boston XAVIER, M., (2021), The Mechanism of Cult Production: An Overview, in KIRILL, P., & STEPANOV, D., eds. Ruler Personality Cults from Empire to Nation-State and Beyond Yeni Yaşam, (2024), Kürtlerin Komploya Karşı Öfkesi, from https://yeniyasamgazetesi9.com/kurtlerin-komploya-karsi-ofkesi/ Zerdeşt, M., (2026), Rojava, Önder Apo ile Direniyor, Özgür Politika, from https://www.ozgurpolitika.com/haberi-rojava-onder-apo-ile-direniyor-208258
More Articles from JOURNAL OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND LEADERSHIP RESEARCH
The Political Economy of Party Defection in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic
Author: Michun Wakili Dickson, Sabo Okonu 3Irene Chinasa Kekeocha-Christopher
Subnational Crisis and Presidential Interventions in Rivers State; The Role of Administration
Author: Hellen Wobiareri Ehule, Ph.D, Didia, Sofunichi, Ph.D
Leadership Support Systems and Organizational Growth in Deposit Money Banks: Evidence from Rivers State, Nigeria
Author: Anireh, Uchenna Nicholas, Onwuanaku, Blessing, Happiness Nwanyi Elekwachi
The Challenges of Adopting the Responsibility to Protect in the Russian/Ukraine War
Author: Richard ThankGod Wabali Chimezie Chukwuemeka Eze
Public Policy and Governance Integration: Explaining the Gaps in Nigeria’s International Politics
Author: Love Obiani Arugu Ph.D, Ayandeji Lateef Akanbi Ph.D