College of Political Sciences

In pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals—Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions, and Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals—and in cooperation with the Department of Studies and Planning/ Sustainable Development Unit (at the Presidency of the University of Mosul), Al-Bayan Center for Studies and Planning published a position assessment paper by Assistant Lecturer Ziyad Abdulrahman Ali of the International Relations Branch at the College of Political Science, entitled: “Kurdish Self-Rule between Constitutional Legitimacy and De Facto Reality: A Comparative Study between the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and the Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria,” dated 20 January 2026.

The paper discusses the structural and political divergence between the two Kurdish self-rule experiences in Iraq and Syria by analyzing sources of legitimacy, the role of military power, and the impact of regional and international contexts in shaping the trajectories of each experience. It also examines the limits of transitioning from de facto control to an internationally and constitutionally recognized political entity, and the legal and sovereign constraints this entails.

The paper aims to explain the reasons behind the success of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq’s experience in contrast to the stagnation of the Autonomous Administration in North and East Syria, through a comparative approach grounded in the concepts of legitimacy, constitutionalism, and the international system. It also seeks to anticipate the future prospects of each experience in light of ongoing regional and international transformations.

In turn, the College Deanship congratulated this diligent scholarly effort, wishing the researcher and all faculty members continued excellence and success in service of our college, our university, and our city, God willing.

To view the full paper, Click Here.