Projects

The Migration Governance project investigates migration patterns, policies, and practices in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq from the 1990s to today. It explores displacement, return, and refugee settlement, examining how local institutions, humanitarian actors, and civil society respond to population movements.
The project produces peer-reviewed publications, policy briefs, and white papers, and hosts academic workshops and dialogues with local and international stakeholders. It involves both in-residence and non-resident researchers, aiming to inform rights-based, evidence-driven policies in the region.

The Transnational Kurd project examines the social, political, cultural, and economic connections between Kurdish communities across borders and the diaspora. It looks at how transnational networks shape activism, identity, and governance, while producing journal articles, policy briefs, and edited volumes.
The project also hosts conferences, workshops, and policy roundtables, bringing together scholars, practitioners, and community leaders. It combines rigorous research with policy engagement to support scholarship on Kurdish transnationalism and inform practical policy approaches.

The Center for Peace and Human Security (CPHS) at the American University of Kurdistan hosted an event organized by Pax for Peace, bringing together NGOs and Local Peace Committee representatives from several Ninawa districts. The conference featured three panels highlighting local peacebuilding initiatives and fostering dialogue among community members, authorities, and international actors. Supported by the U.S. State Department and implemented by PAX’s partners Al Mesalla and Peace and Freedom Organization, the event aimed to strengthen cooperation and promote reconstruction efforts in the region.

The Center for Peace and Human Security (CPHS) hosted the conference “Beyond ISIS: Minorities and Religious Diversity in Iraq and the Future of Êzîdî, Christians, Shabak, Yarsan, Mandeans and other religious minorities” at the AUK campus. Academics and practitioners presented their work on minority communities and engaged with community representatives to discuss their future in Iraq. The conference was sponsored by the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament. Click here to see the conference publication proceedings.

The Center for Peace and Human Security (CPHS), in collaboration with YAZDA, presented a screening of the documentary film “The Voice of Women”. The screening was followed by a discussion where YAZDA members addressed audience questions. The film was made possible through the collaboration of YAZDA, the Norwegian People’s Aid, and the Human-Etisk Foundation.

• Lalish Conference (2015) – Details currently unavailable. Please contact CPHS for further information.
• Lalish Conference (2016) – Details currently unavailable. Please contact CPHS for further information.
• Lalish Conference (2017) – Details currently unavailable. Please contact CPHS for further information.