Researcher ORCID Identifier

0009-0000-7562-1395

Graduation Year

2025

Date of Submission

4-2025

Document Type

Open Access Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Government

Reader 1

Hicham Bou Nassif

Reader 2

Heather Ferguson

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Terms of Use for work posted in Scholarship@Claremont.

Rights Information

© 2025 Tara E Dawood

Abstract

This study aims to assess the unique challenges and experiences of Assyrians from Iraq from the perspective of humanitarian aid workers. The research questions are as follows: what factors contribute to Christians choosing to leave Iraq, especially in the last 25 years?; what actions by the Iraqi government would deter them from leaving or support them in returning? This study is significant because it focuses attention on the excessive numbers of Assyrians leaving Iraq. Although they are a minority, their translocation produced a massive resettlement of migrants—more than any other group in Iraq. By analyzing the role of the Iraqi government, the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), and international factors through interviews with humanitarian aid workers, this study aims to detect what factors have led Assyrians to seek resettlement in other countries. Understanding these dynamics reveals the gaps in support faced by Assyrians in this region. This study is also significant in that it creates a roadmap for enhancing the conditions of this minority to support them in remaining in their homeland by identifying their unique, unmet needs. This research employs a qualitative approach by relying on interviews with humanitarian aid workers. In online meetings, participants were asked a series of open-ended questions through semi-structured interviews using snowball sampling. Secondary data was collected by reviewing reports, policy documents, and cases from humanitarian organizations to display broad demographic trends. The factors of economic insecurity, cultural preservation, and education are identified as significant components that influence the Assyrians’ departure from Iraq.

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