In 2014, the Yezidi people in Kurdistan and Iraq faced tremendous atrocities by the terrorist group known as the “Islamic State in Iraq and Syria – ISIS”, in their stronghold of Sinjar and other Yezidi-populated areas of Nineveh and Duhok. This was an act of genocide and ethnic-religious cleansing by the terrorist organisation in which thousands of Yezidis were killed or kidnapped, with many remaining missing or in captivity to this day.
The University of Kurdistan Hewlêr (UKH) is organising a scholarly conference on August 25th and 26th, 2025 which is focusing on investigating the tragic historical ethnic cleansing against the Yezidis and the consequential impacts it has had ever since.
The conference brings together national and international scholars on Yezidi affairs to shed light on this tragedy from an academic perspective. In addition to the historical events around the time of the genocide, this conference also focuses on themes of struggle, empowerment, and coping.
We aim to move beyond narratives of trauma to emphasize resilience, rebuilding, and hope for a better future for the Yezidi community. This conference will particularly focus on pathways for empowerment, justice, and celebrating the strengths of survivors and the efforts to reinforce the Yezidi culture and identity. Our goal is to foster an environment of constructive dialogue and forward-thinking solutions that inspire meaningful change and support for the Yezidi community.
We invite potential contributors to submit papers on the following (but not limited) topics:
- Long-term socio-economic effects on Yezidi survivors: Efforts in preserving heritage, identity and traditions post-genocide; Recovery and healing into Yezidi communities within KRI and Yezidi diaspora communities; Mass migration of the Yazidis both internally and to overseas countries
- Psychological impact of the genocide: Sociopsychological dimensions of post-genocide (stereotyping, scapegoating, hostility, distrust and fear); Healing from the trauma of genocide; Long-term effects of exposure to violence, abuse and genocide on children born and/or raised in ISIS-controlled areas; Strategic use of sexual violence and abuse (sexual slavery, weaponization of rape); Intergenerational trauma of the genocide; Social and cultural reintegration of survivors of sexual violence;
- Human rights and international law pertaining to the genocide: Historical precedents of the genocide and the role of the state in protecting the Yezidi people in Iraq; Critical approaches to the prevention of genocide and holding perpetrators accountable by local and international criminal justice boards.
Conference Format:
The conference will take place in-person in Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, August 25th, 2025. Presentations will be followed by comments from discussants.
Dates of the Conference: August 25th – 26th, 2025
Duration of the Conference: Two days
Venue: Rotana Hotel Erbil
Conference Agenda:
Day One: The first day will be in Erbil where the academic conference and presentations take place.
Day Two: The second day will be a visit to Lalish to those who wish to visit the holy site of the Yezidis.
Funding, Accommodation and Travel:
The University of Kurdistan Hewlêr is pleased to offer funding for travel, lodging accommodations, research and data collection for international panelists and as many the budget will permit. The conference will cover all meals and an evening reception.
Submission Guidelines:
Authors must follow the prescribed format for submitting their abstracts and author biographies. Please ensure compliance with the guidelines before submission.
Abstract: Should be between 250-300 words and include 3-5 keywords. Detailed instructions are available in the Abstract Submission Guidelines.
Author Biography: A brief bio (200 – 250 words) must be submitted separately. Please refer to the Author Bio Submission Guidelines.
All documents must be submitted as separate PDF files and adhere to the formatting specifications outlined in the guidelines. For full details, please review the submission guidelines before submitting your paper.
- Abstracts and a short bio to be emailed by April 15th, 2025 to: [email protected]
- Notifications on submissions will be shared by May 1st, 2025.
- Full paper submissions are to be made by August 1st, 2025.
- Submissions are required to be from original research and should not have been previously published or be awaiting publication during the evaluation process for this conference.
- Accepted papers will be published in the conference’s Proceedings.
For any questions on the conference, please contact us at [email protected]
