On December 19, 2025, the Kurdish Studies Graduate Student Association (KSGSA) at Rutgers University hosted a panel titled “Decolonizing the Middle East: Kurdish Experiences.” Moderated by Dr. Vierelina Fernandez (Center for Latin American Studies, Rutgers), the event brought together scholars to examine Kurdish experiences through historical, theoretical, and political perspectives.
The panel featured Prof. Brendan O’Leary (University of Pennsylvania), who discussed the status of the Kurdistan Regional Government, and Prof. Ozlem Goner (College of Staten Island, CUNY), who presented a socio-historical and theoretical framework for understanding the colonization of Kurdistan. Together, the presentations invited critical reflection on decolonization as both an analytic lens and a lived struggle in the Middle East, highlighting how Kurdish histories and contemporary governance debates shape wider regional conversations.
Prof. Brendan O’Leary, University of Pennsylvania - The Status of Kurdistan Regional Government. Prof. Ozlem Goner: College of Staten Island, CUNY - Colonization of Kurdistan: A Socio-Historical and Theoretical Framework.
