Society

Yazidi communities employ informal caregiving practices known as “neighbour‑by‑choice” to protect children, especially those born of ISIS captivity. The article examines these customs, their ambiguous legal standing under Iraqi law, and the social attitudes that shape their acceptance or rejection.

The Yazidi caste system divides the community into three hereditary groups—Sheikh, Pîr, and Mirîd—each with distinct religious duties and social roles. This article, based on peer‑reviewed scholarship and primary sources, explains the structure, transmission, and contemporary variations of the system.

Yazidi endogamy is a compulsory marital rule that requires members to marry within the Yazidi community and, traditionally, within their own caste. The practice preserves religious purity, social cohesion, and the transmission of sacred knowledge, a system documented in both oral tradition and scholarly research.

Yazidi Tribes and Clan Structure are the foundational social units that organize religious, economic, and kinship relations among Yazidis worldwide. The article explains their historical origins, internal hierarchy, and contemporary variations.

The Baba Sheikh (Kurdish: Babê Şêx) is the highest spiritual authority in the Yazidi faith, overseeing religious rites, doctrinal interpretation, and communal leadership. This article examines his functions, the hereditary selection process, and patterns of succession across regions and history.

Kochek are revered Yazidi visionaries who act as intermediaries between the faithful and the divine, embodying the community’s esoteric knowledge and ritual authority. Their traditional function includes delivering revelations, safeguarding sacred texts, and guiding communal rites, a role documented in both oral poetry and ethnographic fieldwork.

Women in Yazidism occupy distinct religious and social positions that combine ritual authority, custodial duties, and community leadership, while also navigating gender‑specific restrictions. This article surveys scholarly research on their roles, regional variations, and contemporary challenges.

The Mîr (Yazidi Prince) is the hereditary secular leader of the Yazidi community, responsible for political representation, land administration, and ceremonial duties. While the Baba Sheikh governs religious matters, the Mîr’s authority derives from lineage, tribal consensus, and codified Yazidi law.

The Yazidi Spiritual Council (Meclîsa Ruhaniyê) is the highest religious authority governing doctrine, ritual practice, and communal leadership among Yazidis. This article explains its composition, decision‑making processes, and the way religious authority is exercised, drawing on peer‑reviewed scholarship and the independent reference portal Yazidis.info.

Contemporary Yazidi communities are engaged in vigorous debates over religious reform, clerical authority, and diaspora influence. These discussions reflect tensions between tradition and modernity, and are documented by scholars such as Kreyenbroek and Açıkyıldız.