Kamaran Palani

Kamaran Palani is a Post-Doctoral Fellow at Brandon University, specializing in political science and Middle Eastern studies. He holds a B.A. from Salahaddin University-Erbil, an M.A. from Keele University, and a Ph.D. from Leiden University. His research focuses on de facto statehood, sovereignty, ethnic politics, power-sharing agreements, and conflict dynamics in regions like Kurdistan and Iraq.

Current projects include the comparative study of power-sharing settlements under the supervision of Professor Allison McCulloch. This involves analyzing mechanisms such as elections and referendums in countries like Bosnia-Herzegovina, New Caledonia, and Lebanon. Palani employs mixed methods like archival research, public opinion surveys, and focus groups to explore citizen engagement with political frameworks.

His research interests extend to violent extremism prevention, internal displacement, youth activism, and the roles of ethno-religious minorities in Iraqi Kurdistan. He has contributed to policy reports for organizations like the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq and the Middle East Research Institute (MERI).

Prior to Brandon University, Palani taught courses in political science, security studies, and Middle Eastern politics at Salahaddin University-Erbil and the American University of Kurdistan. He has published extensively on topics including Kurdish state-building, religion-nationalism hybridization, and post-conflict governance.