Dr. Muslih Irwani
Associate Professor of Social and Public Policy
Dr. Irwani joined AUIB in January 2021. Previously, he served at the American University of Kurdistan—where he chaired the Center for Peace and Human Security—and lectured at the University of Nottingham, Salahaddin University, and the University of Kurdistan Hawlêr. Across these posts he led curriculum design, research governance, and university policy development (URB/IRB, research ethics, faculty manuals), while contributing to strategic committees and advisory boards. He was a Visiting Fellow/Co-Investigator at the London School of Economics (LSE) on the UKRI GCRF Gender, Justice & Security Hub (2019-2024).
AUIB, Dr. Irwani has been involved in curriculum development and teaching, strategic roadmap and AUIB’s Press. He has extensive experience in research management and international collaborations and has secured and delivered multi-partner grants with ILO, UNICEF, the World Bank, European Union-Erasmus+, and UKRI/LSE.
Teaching focus: Research methods, Iraqi/Iranian politics, international organizations, globalization, and political philosophy, with an emphasis on public policy analysis, applied policy design and evidence-based analysis.
Research interests: social protection and social security reform, social cohesion in conflict-affected societies, migration and displacement, governance and public administration, and labor market inclusion.
He holds a PhD in Social Policy and Administration from the University of Nottingham, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Social Work Practice from Canterbury Christ Church University.
Recent publications include three ILO Social Protection policy papers (co-authored, 2025); Return mobilities; Gendered dynamics of international labour migration in the KRI (2024); Social welfare regimes (2023); and Contextual analysis of social cohesion among refugees, IDPs, and host communities. His books include the edited volume Social Security and Public Works in Iraq: Trends and Policy Options (AUIB & ILO, 2023) and Clientelism and Implementing Social Security Programmes in Post-conflict Iraqi Kurdistan Region (Cambridge Scholars, 2015).