Vision
The Center for Peace and Human Security (CPHS) at The American University of Kurdistan aims to become a leading hub for research, education, policy and community empowerment in Kurdistan Region to address the major contemporary challenges relevant to peace and human security by focusing on the following themes related to Kurdistan and Middle East:
- Inclusion, Diversity and Minorities
- Citizenship and Nation-building
- Diaspora, Migration and Displacement
- Gender, Justice and Security
- Climate Change and Environmental Security
- Terrorism, Cyberwarfare and Online Security
- Crime Prevention and Victim Support
Mission
The CPHS produces high-quality academic research and policy for the Kurdistan Region, Iraq, the Middle East, and the International Community. We promote a multidisciplinary research approach that draws on theories and methodologies from many academic fields. We are also eager to work with top-level international universities, research centers, think tanks and governmental and non-governmental organizations.
Mission
Strategic Goals
The CPHS focuses on these strategic goals:
1. Research and Policy
The CPHS produces first-hand, peer-reviewed, interdisciplinary, and methodological research on the subjects related to the Center.
It also aims to become a hub in Kurdistan Region for providing empirical, policy-relevant results for national and international policy-making agencies, including Governments, and NGOs.
2. Community Empowerment
The CPHS believes in working at the grassroots, supporting diverse communities to build on local strengths to help them understand and promote peace and human security in difference scales and stages.
3. Global Partnership
The CPHS strives to widen its scope of collaboration with top-level international universities, research centers, and organizations. It is also looking for partnerships with reputable institutions interested in pursuing high-quality research relevant to Peace and Human Security. The CPHS team participates in conferences and workshops held in the Region and abroad to expand their networks.
Conducted Projects
The CPHS focuses on these strategic goals:
1. Pax for Peace: Reconstructing Peace in Ninawa
Pax for Peace: Reconstructing Peace in Ninawa
2. Beyond ISIS Conference
On 13 October 2018, the 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 works on minorities and met community representatives to discuss the future of minorities 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 proceeding.
3. The Voice of Yazidi Women
The CPHS in collaboration with YAZDA presented the screening of the documentary film “The Voice of Women”, on Wednesday 25 October 2017. The documentary was followed by a debate where YAZDA’s members addressed the audience’s questions. This film was made possible through the collaboration of Yazda, the Norwegian People’s Aid and the Human-Etisk Foundation.
4. The Lalish Conferences for Peace and Security
1st Lalish conference (info to be provided by previous chair or IT)
2nd Lalish Conference (info to be provided by previous chair or IT)
3rd Lalish Conference (25-26 April 2017).
5. Survey on Independence of Kurdistan
6. Middle East Peace and Human Security (MEPS)
CPHS has been one of the key partners for organizing the Middle East Peace and Human Security (MEPS) in November 2022. It drafted the forum’s publishing notes which included a policy report.
Fellowships and Internships
The CPHS provides an unpaid fellowship for researchers willing to visit Duhok and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq for research and policy purposes. Fellows will receive desk space in a shared office, internet, and printing facility. The CPHS facilitates field research access permission and other research supports. In return, the researchers will be used as resources in the CPHS’ research activities. Visiting Fellows whose research areas overlap with courses at the Department of International Studies may be given up to two courses to teach as paid adjuncts during their stay at AUK.
Proposal Support
The CPHS supports original proposals aligned with the center’s mission, vision, and above-mentioned themes. The CPHS will seek funding to support the researchers’ efforts. The center supports excellent and original projects which address policy issues in relations to peace and human security in Kurdistan, Iraq and the Middle East.
CPHS Team
Director
Dr Jiyar Aghapouri
Advisory Committee
Dr Annette Idler, University of Oxford, UK
Dr Janroj Yilmaz Keles, Middlesex University of London, UK
Dr Thomas Schmidinger, University of Vienna, Austria
Dr Yerevan Saeed, University of Kurdistan Hewler. KRD
Dr Muslih Irwani, American University of Baghdad
Dr Necal Acik, the Middlesex University of London, UK
Dr Negar Partow, Massey University, New Zealand
Mr Armin Seif, Red Cross, UK
Visiting Fellows: TBA
Arin Dosky
Kardokh Najman
Nigeen Sido
Viyan Adulqadir
Dlala Abdullah
Ali Hazim
Angel George