Ethnic conflicts go far back in time, but what are the causes of ethnic conflicts? By applying theories concerning ethnicity, ethnic groups and ethnic identity, we find that the causes behind ethnic conflicts consist of a number of factors that include perceptions, behaviors, actions and political orientations. How do the study's causes appear in The Turkish-Kurdish conflict, where the Kurdish population tends to become increasingly independent, but this tendency can be a cause of conflict in itself. This study examines the causes behind ethnic conflicts in general from four selected perspectives; primordialism, nationalism, constructivism, and social capitalism. There are few terms used in this ethnic conflict research, including; ethnicity, ethnic identity, and ethnic group. These concepts are used in connection with the theories as a starting point for answering the study's questions.