Kurdistan in the new Middle Eastern Geopolitics

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By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj Kurdistan's future will depend on whether it can turn geography, energy, security and regional connectivity into durable strategic influence in the Middle East. The future of Kurdistan in the Middle East will not be decided by a single referendum, a constitutional amendment in Baghdad, a peace agreement in Ankara, or a change of government in Tehran. It will be determined by whether Kurdish actors can convert geography, institutions, energy, security capabilities, economic connectivity and international relationships into durable strategic power. The Kurdistan Region of Iraq has entered a period in which its traditional model of autonomy is under pressure at precisely the moment when its geopolitical importance is increasing. Baghdad is acquiring new instruments of leverage, Turkey is redefining its regional role, Iran is confronting a transformed security environment, Syria is undergoing a fundamental political transition, Washington is reconsidering the arch...
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As Featured In / Media Recognition & Citations

Media Recognition

  • Featured by the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) for my contribution to the Sorani Kurdish translation of Michael Rubin's Kurdistan Rising. AEI acknowledged my contribution and published an excerpt from my introduction to the Kurdish edition.
    Source: American Enterprise Institute (AEI)
  • Quoted by KirkukNow, an independent multilingual news organization, for expert analysis on political and security developments in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.
    Source: KirkukNow
  • Quoted by Energy Intelligence, a leading global energy and geopolitical intelligence publication, for analysis on energy and geopolitical developments affecting Iraq and the Kurdistan Region.
    Source: Energy Intelligence

Selected Publications

  • Institute of Development Studies (IDS), University of Sussex – Co-author of Deeply Ingrained Prejudice Fuels Hate Speech in Iraq with Emilie Wilson, published by the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) as part of the Consortium for Religious Equality and Inclusive Development (CREID). The article examines the structural drivers of hate speech against religious minorities in Iraq and proposes policy responses.

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