Author(s)

Sangar Youssif Salih, Abdulsamih Muhammad Rahman, Jihad Kamal Othman

Salahaddin University, Erbil, Iraq.

The Qualitative research method has been used to analyze 16 semi-structured interviews. This study focuses on the influences of foreign schools on Kurdish national and cultural identity in the Iraqi Kurdistan region. The study asks how the Kurdish national identity and its components have been reflected or dealt with in the schools’ curriculum. The study asks such questions as: Do foreign schools in the region have a special strategy to protect Kurdish national and cultural identity and do the students’ parents’ opinions matter in framing their children’s identity in the foreign schools? Through analyzing the data, the paper finds that learning second languages is important and can be useful for the future of the students. But, Kurdish as their mother language and as an important part of their identity won’t be protected and taken seriously to be a scientific language. We also find that hard science classes are taught more compared to the social and historical classes which include more subjects on Kurdish culture, history, and geography that can keep them updated about their national identity in general. Moreover, parents of the students who are enrolled into the foreign schools are not satisfied with the activities and practicing Kurdish national holidays. Creating a globalized generation is one of the positive goals of the schools which were identified from the study. They also do obey the laws that have been issued by the parliament of the Kurdistan region in general. Finally, family can be seen as one of the most influential tools for making or protecting national identity, which can also be seen as more important than the schools.

National Identity, Kurdistan, Education, Kurdish Culture

Salih, S. , Rahman, A. and Othman, J. (2017) Reflection of National and Cultural Identities in Foreign Schools of the Kurdistan Region/Iraq. Creative Education, 8, 1135-1154. doi: 10.4236/ce.2017.87082.