Linguistic Diversity in Iraq

Iraq is famous as a diverse country with several communities that have their social characteristics as well as their languages, dialects, customs and traditions. My interest in Linguistics opens the door for me to specialise in the field of Sociolinguistics. This subfield of linguistics is not only of theoretical use but can also be of a huge practical benefit when it is applied to improve and make better the lives of people, particularly minorities. My intent to study in the UK is because its elite universities provide unique courses in which I can best develop my potentials. Another reason is that the UK is a diverse country and a supportive environment for people like me to develop networking opportunities. Therefore, my study will enable me to create better communications with UK leading academics whom I will maintain post-study communication to achieving my goals as well as this communication increases mutual partnership opportunities amongst the educational institutes here and in the UK.

My short-term plan will focus on establishing connections with other academics devoted to safeguarding cultural and linguistic diversity in our homeland. I am keen to maintain communications with academics in multiple universities and with officials in the University of Garmyan who encourage and support me to pursue studies in the UK and will facilitate my career transition to work at the University of Garmyan. Several Iraqi minorities were forced to flee their traditional lands to other cities due to ISIS occupation among other reasons, and this caused massive loss of linguistic diversity. The knowledge I will gain in the UK will provide me with a solid basis to address the rapid loss of linguistic diversity and indigenous autonomy as well as to build language revitalisation programmes. I am inspired by the Resource Network for Linguistic Diversity in Australia’s work towards building Aboriginal autonomy over research. The RNLD offers 41 training modules for aboriginal communities that want to control their revitalisation programmes, and I plan to work towards filling this dearth of community training in the parts of Iraq where minorities have fled. The programmes that I intend to offer will help the stabilisation of these minorities in their lands as well as to keep linguistic diversity that ultimately helps these original communities maintain their mother languages.

In the long-term plan, I will continue research and teaching career, and to pursue PhD studies in any UK university that avails extensive courses in sociolinguistics to develop my potentials to enrich the university’s curriculum and found a whole-new postgraduate course on Sociolinguistics. This intended course will be a solid addition to the Higher Education System in the Kurdistan Region. I strongly intend to take responsibility to continue taking an active role in the ongoing plans and programmes that assist reviving those minorities and safeguarding our social, cultural and linguistic diversity in KRG and Iraq and working with NGO’s who share the same interest.