College of Political Sciences

In alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals, Goal 4: Quality Education, and Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions; and within the activities of the UNESCO Chair in Iraq (UNESCO Division at the Ministry), and in cooperation with the Universities of Baghdad, Kufa, and the American University of Baghdad, the UNESCO Chair at the University of Mosul took part in the International Conference of the UNESCO Chair in Iraq, held at the University of Baghdad during the period of 1–2 October 2025.

The conference witnessed wide participation from researchers representing various Iraqi, Arab, and international universities. Among them was Dr. Ali Bashar Bakr, a lecturer in the Department of International Relations at the College of Political Science, University of Mosul, who presented his research paper entitled “The Role of Education in Reducing Youth Recruitment into Extremism and Violent Extremism in Iraq after 2017.”

The paper was based on two main hypotheses: first, that strengthening belief in core values—such as democracy, citizenship, freedom, justice, and tolerance—reduces the likelihood of extremist discourse spreading within society; and second, that higher levels and quality of education lower the chances of youth involvement in extremism, and vice versa.

Accordingly, the paper concluded that education represents the first line of defense against extremism by instilling civic and democratic values. Moreover, investing in inclusive and high-quality education constitutes a direct investment in societal security, as linking the educational process with projects that promote citizenship and social justice inevitably contributes to reducing youth drift toward violence.

The college administration congratulated the researcher on this blessed academic effort, wishing him and all faculty members continued scholarly and intellectual excellence.