2018 Fiscal Year Annual Research Report
The role of the Popular Mobilization Forces in the Iraqi conflict and its influence as a non-state actor
| Project/Area Number |
17F17785
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| Research Institution | Tokyo University of Foreign Studies |
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Principal Investigator |
篠田 英朗 東京外国語大学, 大学院総合国際学研究院, 教授 (60314712)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
AL TUMA ALI 東京外国語大学, その他部局等, 外国人特別研究員
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| Project Period (FY) |
2017-10-13 – 2020-03-31
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| Keywords | Iraq / ISIS / Terrorism / Insurgency / PMF / Middle East / Migrant Communities / Popular Mobilization Forces |
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| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
The fellow has published the results of research activities on the transitional justice for ISIS prisoners in Iraq including the role of the PMF in it in a policy paper form (on the website of UNU) in addition to a co-authored op-ed piece form.
The fellow has conducted field work in western Europe conducting a number of interviews with Iraqi migrant communities’ leaders discussing the support Iraqi communities provided towards the Iraqi struggle against ISIS and attitudes towards Popular Mobilization Forces.
The fellow researched the international aspects of the role played by the PMF in influencing Iraqi foreign policy towards its neighbors and western powers. Also he researched the role of the PMF in the reduction of the terrorism incidents indication witnessed in parts of central and western Iraq. The fellow provided cooperation for the production of a paper to be published by CPR on future dealings by the Iraqi state with PMF. The fellow has worked on researching PMF-like phenomena in Middle Eastern and other countries in order to conduct a comparative analysis.
The fellow has worked on outreach by giving two lectures on the subject of transitional justice in Iraq both to university and high school students.
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| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.
Reason
The fellow has published the results of the research activities of previous year in both a policy paper form (on the website of UNU) as well as a co-authored op-ed piece form. The fellow has managed to collect a great number of relevant information both in print and online. He also conducted a number of interviews with Iraqi migrant communities’ leaders in Europe on the topic of support towards the Iraqi struggle against ISIS and the Popular Mobilization Forces and on the topic justice towards captured ISIS subjects.
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| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
The fellow will research the influence of the Popular Mobilization on the return process of the Internally Displaced Persons in Iraq and the challenges and solutions that might present themselves in relation to the Popular Mobilization. Specifically, the case study of the Sunni district of Jurf Al Sakhar in the majority Shia Babil governorate will be examined. A small publication as a result of this examination is expected.
The fellow will explore the possibility of assessing the role of external military advisors on the performance of the Popular Mobilization, and in particular Lebanese advisors. Should the contacts with Lebanese relevant parties prove fruitful, the fellow intends to do a short field work in Beirut to interview those advisors, and to possibly map a comparative picture of the impact they had on the similar formations in the Middle East (e.x. National Defense Forces).
Unfortunately, the fellow will not be able to conduct any further field investigations in Iraq due to the security situation which continues to have its impact on the host institute’s decision to impede using the grant to finance the fellow journeying to Iraq. This is still based on the security assessment of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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