Assyrian Studies: Selected Papers and Reflections

Publications about Assyrians are essential for understanding their rich history, culture, and heritage, especially for those on their ancestral lands in northern Mesopotamia (modern northern Iraq, northeast Syria, southeast Türkiye, and northwest Iran). In Iraq, for example, Assyrians face state-sponsored attacks on their identity from both the Iraqi federal and Kurdish regional governments, which often reduce them to merely a Christian minority, led by competing patriarchs empowered by Arab and Kurdish officials. Most Arab, Kurdish, Turkish and Iranian leaders have systematically undermined the Assyrian historical narrative, while some Assyrian leaders, both political and religious, have marginalized the Assyrian identity by prioritizing foreign interests. Policies of Arabization and Kurdification have further fueled cultural assimilation. Diaspora Assyrians play a crucial role in exposing the leadership failures to promote accountability, unity, and empower global advocacy for their indigenous rights under the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, preserving their ancient legacy in a region shaped by geopolitical challenges.