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UCF Hosts Conference on Kurdish Studies
Attendees from all over the world gather to share insights and collaborate on Kurdish studies. By: Emily Dougherty | April 29, 2025 The Kurdish Political Studies Program at the School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs held its conference on Kurdish studies entitled, “Kurds on the Global Stage: Clashing Identities, Interests, and Perspectives.” The two-day […]
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Two Kurdish Political Studies Program Dr. Najmaldin Karim Research Fellows Visit Kurdistan
Written by Léa Faure, Ph.D. in Security Studies In May 2023, two students affiliated with the Kurdish Political Studies Program (KPSP), Hannah Barnes and Myli Sangria, traveled to Kurdistan to expand their horizons and research interests. First, could you both tell me more about your background? SANGRIA: “I am a junior studying international relations and […]
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Travel Abroad Opens New Perspective For PoliSci Major
Hannah Barnes is learning as a Knight thousands of miles from Millican Hall and the Bounce House — and that suits her just fine. Barnes’ political science studies take place in Yerevan, Armenia, where she is studying a Kurdish dialect called Kurmanji. She’ll also be immersed in the culture through her host family. “It’s hard […]
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KPSP Welcomes a Scholar of Literature from Iranian Kurdistan
Kurdish Political Studies Program (KPSP) is delighted to welcome Cyrus Amiri, Ph.D., as a visiting scholar in 2023. Amiri is an associate professor of English and Comparative Cultural Studies at the University of Kurdistan in Iran. Could you tell us more about your background? I was born in Kurdistan to a Kurdish family. I am […]
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UCF Student Serving Survivors of Genocidal Violence
By Léa Faure Sinjar Academy, based in the Sinjar region of Northern Iraq, provides educational services to Yezidis and other minorities affected from the 2014 genocide. It is a community that emerged from a grassroot organization aiming to help students develop different skills via various courses: computer programming, filming, transitional justice, and their most recent […]
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Foreign Policy Making in Turbulent Times
BY: Léa Faure On Thursday, April 21, 2022, the School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs (SPSIA) organized its landmark event of Spring 2022 – the American Foreign Policy and Intelligence Conference. The conference attracted a lively audience which featured 10 scholars and experts who provided unique perspectives about American foreign policy and […]
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A New Beginning: Model United Nations in Iraq and Kurdistan Regional Government
By Léa Faure In close partnership with the Kurdish Political Studies Program (KPSP) at the University of Central Florida (UCF), Soran University in Iraqi Kurdistan hosted the first Model United Nations Conference in Iraq from March 31 to April 2, 2022. Around 100 students from different parts of Iraqi Kurdistan and Iraq as well as […]
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US in the Middle East: A Perspective From Kurdistan with Mr. Qubad Talabani
After a two-years hiatus, the Kurdish Political Studies Program (KPSP) was pleased to organize a well-attended on-campus event on Wednesday, November 17. The speaker was Mr. Qubad Talabani, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in Iraq who provided unique perspectives about the challenges and opportunities the KRG is facing as well […]
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Tezcür Tapped to Lead School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs
The School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs recently appointed Güneş Murat Tezcür, Ph.D., to become its second director. Tezcür studies political violence, politics of identity and democratization, with a focus on Iranian, Kurdish, and Turkish human geography. He has published more than two dozen scholarly articles in journals including American Political Science Review, Comparative […]
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UCF Offers High-Demand Kurdish Language Courses
Thanks to a collaboration between the UCF Department of Modern Languages and Literatures and the School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs initiated by assistant professor Haidar Khezri, students have a unique opportunity to pursue a high-demand language not offered to many. UCF is now one of only two universities in the nation to regularly […]
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UCF Helps Organize Iraq’s first National Model United Nations Conference
Model United Nations (MUN) conferences have a long history. Dating back to 1921 (then – Model League of Nations), these simulations introduce students to the parliamentary procedure of the organization, increase their understanding of the international order and engage them in discussing crucial matters of diplomacy, human rights, security and humanitarian assistance around the […]
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UCF Student Gains Unique Experience as an Intern for the US Consulate in Erbil
Mohammed Al Awwad, a Junior at the School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs majoring in Political Science, has been selected for a highly competitive internship with the U.S. State Department in fall 2020. He is currently serving as Human Rights Research Intern at the United States Consulate of Erbil, Iraq, as part of the […]
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In Memoriam and Discussion of Kurdish Politics at UCF
The Kurdish Political Studies Program (KPSP) at the School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs (SPSIA) hosted its annual Kurdish forum on November 20, 2020, during the UCF Global-sponsored International Education Week. The forum was dedicated to the memory of Dr. Najmaldin Karim (1949-2020). Dr. Karim was the former Governor of Kirkuk, Iraq, and a […]
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The Kurdish Political Studies Program announces the Best Article Award in Kurdish Political Studies
The Kurdish Political Studies Program (KPSP) awards every year the best article written by a rising scholar in Kurdish Political Studies. This year, the competition considered articles in social sciences and humanities that have been published in English and peer-reviewed journals in 2019. The selection committee was composed of Ozlem Goner (City University of New […]
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Kurdish Culture, Literature, and Politics Come to UCF
On October 2, the Kurdish Political Studies Program (KPSP) at SPSIA in partnership with the Department of Modern Languages and Literature, hosted the first of a series of virtual events in fall 2020. At the “Kurdish Literature & Culture” panel moderated by Dr. Haidar Khezri of UCF, KPSP welcomed Dr. Wendelmoet Hamelink from the […]
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Polarization and Fragmentation in Kurdish Politics and Beyond
By Doreen Horschig This past Thursday, November 21, 2019, the Kurdish Political Studies Program (KPSP) hosted two distinguished scholars at the University of Central Florida for the event “Perspectives on Middle Eastern Politics: Polarization and Fragmentation.” The moderator of the event, Güneş Murat Tezcür, Jalal Talabani Chair and Professor at the School of Security, Politics, […]
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Students Travel to Iraq For Kurdish Studies
By Doreen Horschig, doctoral candidate of Security Studies. Two students affiliated with UCF’s Kurdish Political Studies Program (KPSP) conducted research in Kurdistan over this summer. Tutku Ayhan, a doctoral candidate in Security Studies program at the School of Politics, Security, and International Affairs at UCF and Jenna Dovydaitis, a senior of the UCF Burnett Honors […]
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Growing International Impact Focus Of New Global Perspectives Chief
Developing UCF’s place in the world is David Dumke’s mission. And Dumke is well-suited to the task. Since 2012, Dumke has led the Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd Program for Strategic Research and Studies. Now Dumke is taking on his next task: leading the Office of Global Perspectives and International Initiatives. The leadership post was held […]
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Global Perspective’s John Bersia Pushed for International Awareness
BY GENE KRUCKEMYER ’73 John C. Bersia ’77, director of UCF’s Global Perspectives Office, a professor of international issues, and a Pulitzer Prize recipient while an editorial writer at the Orlando Sentinel, died Thursday of metastatic cancer. He was 62. Bersia started working at UCF in 2001, later became a special assistant to the president […]
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International Experts Bring Insights To Kurdish Studies Conference
By Tutku Ayhan On March 1, 2019, the Kurdish Political Studies Program (KPSP) hosted an international and interdisciplinary conference titled “Borders, Identities and Refugees: The Kurdish Experience in the Middle East.” The conference included three panels of renowned scholars and researchers, and a documentary film covering various issues related to the Kurdish experience with […]
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Artist Brings Perspective On Iraqi Turmoil
On Feb. 1, 2019, Kurdish Political Studies Program (KPSP) and School of Visual Arts and Design hosted a guest lecture by Berlin-based, internationally renowned artist Hiwa K. Born and raised in northern Iraq’s Kurdistan region, Hiwa K’s award-winning work has been internationally exhibited in venues such as Manifesta 7 (2008), the Venice Biennale (2015), and […]
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Swedish Study Abroad Opportunity Now Open to Students
UCF and Malmö University (MU) have recently signed a student exchange agreement, opening the opportunity for UCF students to spend a fall semester at Malmö University. In an effort to boost existing linkages and establish research cooperation between these universities, a UCF faculty member recently visited MU. Güneş Murat Tezcür, Jalal Talabani Chair and Professor […]
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Panel Discusses Past and Future of Kurdish Society
On Nov. 15, 2018, the Kurdish Political Studies Program (KPSP) at the University of Central Florida (UCF) invited experts on Kurdish society and politics to a panel to discuss the way forward in the region, and specifically among the Kurds. The event drew attention from a mixed audience, ranging from UCF undergraduate and graduate students […]
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Middle Eastern Movie Series to Premiere Kurdish Film on Campus
Join the Kurdish Poltical Studies Program for the first movie in a Middle Eastern movie series with movies from across the Middle East, including the Arab World, Iran, Turkey and Kurdistan. Authentic Middle Eastern food will be provided during the showing. Title: BEKAS, 2012 Director: Karzan Kader Description: Two orphaned Kurdish brothers see Superman in […]
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Kurdish Political Studies Program Welcomes Resident Senior Fellow Haidar Khezri, Ph.D.
In fall 2018, Haidar Khezri, Ph.D., joined the Kurdish Political Studies Program (KPSP) as visiting faculty and senior fellow from Indiana University (IU), Bloomington. Dr. Khezri, born in Iranian Kurdistan, holds a Ph.D. in comparative literature from Damascus University in Syria, and a M.A. in comparative literature from Tarbiat Modares University in Tehran, Iran. He […]
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From Italy to UCF, Student Finds Success
Helin Yıldız traveled from Italy after being accepted by the Kurdish Political Studies Program to continue her master’s education abroad. During her time in Orlando, Yıldız attended courses at UCF, interacted with professors and students about her research and intellectual interests, participated in KPSP events and made trips to Washington, D.C. to conduct interviews. Yıldız […]
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In Search of a Lost Song: From New York to Dersim
On April 23, 2018, The Kurdish Political Studies Program (KPSP) hosted the screening of the movie ‘Zer’ and a conversation with the director, Kazım Öz, who is one of the leading Kurdish directors of his generation. He is also the director of highly acclaimed Bahoz (The Storm), Fotoğraf (The Photograph), the short film Ax (The […]
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50 Students Attend Panel on Chemical Attacks
Thirty years after the attacks in Halabja in Iraqi Kurdistan, chemical weapons continue to be used against civilian populations in the Middle East. On April 12, 2018, the Kurdish Political Studies Program (KPSP) in collaboration with the Intelligence Community Center for Academic Excellence (IC CAE) sponsored a panel on the chemical attacks and U.S. policies. […]
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From Coast to Mountains
December 11, 2017 Clayton Besaw, a PhD candidate in the Security Studies Program, is starting a full-time position as a Political Event Forecaster in One Earth Future based in Denver in few days. Clayton is also a member of the Research Group of the Kurdish Political Studies Program (KPSP). Before he embarks on his car […]
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Kurdish Aspirations, Geopolitical Realities
On November 16, the Kurdish Political Studies Program (KPSP) sponsored an event about contemporary Kurdish politics in the Middle East with an audience of more than 30 people. Güneş Murat Tezcür, Ph.D., opened up the event and invited Kerstin Hamann, Ph.D., Chair of the Department of Political Science, to present the Dr. Najmaldin Karim Fellowship […]