Completed Research Projects at ITG

The attacks against the Ezidi ethno-religious minority in Sinjar by fighters of the armed group referring to itself as the Islamic State (“IS”) constitute genocide under the 1948 Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, as recognized by, inter alia, the United Nations. While government bodies, human rights organizations and journalists have extensively documented crimes against the Ezidis, and despite the number of survivors who have been liberated and are ready to testify, legal proceedings are yet to commence. No large-scale reparation mechanism has been implemented yet by Iraq or the Kurdistan Regional Government for survivors of the genocide, either as a result of legal proceedings or as part of an administrative program.

In this research, we conduct a qualitative study in Northern Iraq and the Kurdistan Region including purposeful interviewing of survivors and families of victims highlighting the Ezidi community’s interests, thereby drafting a framework of collective and moral reparations implementable independent from legal proceedings.

The objective is to design a framework of collective and moral reparations, shaped in light of data collected on the ground and analyzed together with previous examples of reparation schemes implemented as part of transitional justice programs in other post-conflict countries. This study is expected to inform Iraqi and Kurdish policy makers, in addition to foreign development agencies, in helping them direct resources to where they are needed.

Another significant objective is to empower survivors of the genocide, a majority of whom are female survivors of sexual violence, by giving them a platform to voice their needs, opinions and expectations for symbolic collective reparations.

 

Contact: Jan I. Kizilhan, Güley Bor

Cooperation partner:
Institute for Psychotherapy and Psychotraumatology (IPP), University of Duhok, Irak
Ziviler Friedensdienst (ZFD), Germany

Professionals who work with traumatized individuals are exposed to significant stress. At the same time, targeted support measures to help professionals—particularly those in psychosocial and educational fields—cope with traumatic stress are often insufficient.

Through the “Online Peer Consultation” offered as part of the part-time certificate program “Transcultural Trauma Pedagogy,” learners reflect on their work with traumatized clients. This collaborative, web-based, and text-based learning scenario aims to enhance learners’ professional competence in working with trauma survivors and to reduce their stress levels. The high priority given to case work in other DHBW degree programs and the “Heilsbronn Model”—a methodology developed in professional practice—provide ideal starting points for transferring this teaching innovation both within and outside the university. The course was funded by the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft e. V.

Contacts: Kornelia Schlegel, Jan I. Kizilhan

Spirituality and religion take on particular significance, especially when it comes to processing traumatic experiences of war and displacement and in light of the challenges of settling into a new culture. Those affected report that faith and a connection to an indestructible core within themselves served as a vital resource for survival. For people from family-oriented societies, religious interpretations and practices play a major role in the context of pain and stress. However, (local) support providers often feel hesitant, uncertain, and at a loss when it comes to addressing this dimension—partly out of fear of the potential for violence associated with religions, and partly due to a lack of verbal skills or self-reflection.

The goal of this project, funded by the Karl Schlecht Foundation and the Via Cordis Foundation, is to offer continuing education programs—particularly in the field of transcultural trauma pedagogy—that empower support providers to help people become aware of their spiritual and religious resources and to navigate the problematic aspects of religion and spirituality. We choose art in its various forms of expression as our point of entry. This is because art, in every culture, has a unique ability to tap into spiritual sources and open up new horizons for experiences of transcendence. Furthermore, it offers an opportunity to gently introduce the topics of spirituality and religion into conversation. In everyday practice, it is well-suited for keeping sources of strength present or revitalizing them.

 

Target Groups

Professionals in psychosocial, educational, therapeutic-medical, and nursing fields who, in their work, come into contact with children, adolescents, or adults experiencing psychological distress (particularly those with a migrant background), as well as anyone interested in tapping into spiritual and religious resources within their professional field, especially through encounters with art.

 

Project Director: Prof. Dr. Lydia Maidl in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Dr. Jan Ilhan Kizilhan

 

Other contacts: Weltethos-Institut 

 

Project Title: Intergenerational Transmission of Experiences of Racism in Germany’s Guest Worker Community: A Qualitative Insight

Project Description: It is undisputed in the research community that experiences of racism and discrimination can have a significant impact on the well-being of those affected. Findings from trauma research further suggest that experiences of suffering have an impact on subsequent generations. However, such intergenerational effects have been scarcely studied in German-speaking countries to date. In this context, two generations of guest worker groups from Turkey, Greece, and present-day Croatia were studied between July and September 2023 to shed light on scientific findings regarding the effects of perceived experiences of racism and discrimination and their intergenerational transmission using a qualitative approach.

The study aims to provide initial insight into the intergenerational effects of experiences of racism in former guest worker families. It contributes to identifying risk factors for mental health in order to ensure effective care.

Contact: Zelal Ag