Can't be happier than casting my vote for #YesKurdistan in #KurdistanReferendum. Bjit Kurd, bjit Kurdistan. Viva #Kurdistan.

RT @Mikeknightsiraq: Getting round to launching this great @CTCWP piece on the extent of terrorist/Iranian oil smuggling and monetization i….

Special thanks to colleagues and participants at various conferences and settings for valuable input. Above all, deepest gratitude to my supervisor @Tobias_Bach_1 for the guidance throughout.

For more findings and details, read the article: Reply or DM for a copy.

Main argument: Simple divide between developing (patronage) & developed (merit) countries overlooks reality. Both show nuanced combination. 'Hybrid appointments' framework helps understand this complexity.

Expertise varies by ministry - a pattern observed globally: Technical ministries (e.g., electricity/agriculture): higher expertise needed General portfolios (e.g., labor): more diverse backgrounds.

Yet both data and interviews show merit matters significantly:.Formal requirement by laws & procedures.17+ years median government experience.45% hold PhDs

Key insight: Director General positions are part of post-election portfolio allocations, requiring political loyalty to parties participating in the cabinet. Found strong patterns of activism: youth wing politics, Party organizations/unions, advisory roles, etc

1/5 Thrilled to share my first PhD research publication in @Gov_Journal! I propose 'hybrid appointments' framework challenging merit-patronage dichotomy + first empirical study of @Kurdistan top civil servants:

RT @CarolineRose8: Years ago in Beirut, I had a surprise (and unfortunate) run-in with a Syrian regime official which taught me an importan….

“It was emphasized that the Kurdish parties in Syria must determine their future independently and without external interference, relying on peaceful means to safeguard their rights,” reads the statement on Pres Barzani-Abdi meeting.

RT @HoshyarZebari: Today’s meeting in Erbil between President Masoud Barzani and SDF Commander of N.E Syria is a significant achievement to….

RT @hxhassan: This short 4:30-minute video is all you need to know about the Assad regime and the current Syrian euphoria to see this regim….

RT @NiyazSBarzani: .@IKRPresident at the reopening of the iconic Notre Dame Cathedral. #NotreDameDeParis.#DonaldTrump #EmanuelMacron .#ELON….

En stund så krigen ut til å være fastlåst: Assad holdt seg ved makten, ulike fraksjoner kontrollerte sine respektive territorier, og verden gikk videre. Men den plutselige overtakelsen av Aleppo forteller en helt annen historie. Les artikkelen min.

RT @JensJungblut: We are recruiting a 3-year researcher with a specialization in public policy and administration or comparative politics….

RT @torewig: Pretty cool that our department's (@UniOslo_SVfak ) @SirianneD and @carlhknutsen are cited *several times* in the report justi….

Recent reports suggest this meeting is likeky on a new peace process with Öcalan and the PKK. Erdoğan is reportedly asking Barzani/KRG to mediate, similar to the role they played in the early 2010s.

RT @MohammedASalih: Nasrallah here taking a hard stance against the Kurdish independence referendum in 2017, depicting it as an American-Is….

RT @masoud_barzani: إذا غامَرْتَ في شَرَفٍ مَرُومِ.فَلا تَقنَعْ بما دونَ النّجومِ.———.إنَّ الحريةَ أثمنُ ما في الوجود، لذلك كان ثمنُها باهظ….

Many outstanding contributions and papers by scholars attending “The politics of bureaucracy: new perspectives on politics and administration” workshop at the Nordic Political Science Association congress in the beautiful city of Bergen.