Agonistic Peacebuilding Practices, in Practice? A Study of INGOs Programmatic and Advocacy Work With and For Yazidi Survivors in Northern Iraq

Abstract: After the 2014 invasion of contested areas in Iraq by the so-called Islamic State (IS), the Yazidi community has suffered dire consequences. Genocide, sexual enslavement, forced religious conversion and forced displacement were some of these horrendous acts committed by IS against the Yazidi community and other minorities in Iraq and Syria. This thesis builds from the infusion of agonist theory in peacebuilding. It uses theory of agonistic peace and thick recognition to explore the extent of agonistic practices present in the work of three selected Yazidi International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs). The study uses a partly inductive thematic content analysis to systematically analyse annual reports as in a document study. The findings show that some agonistic practices are present. It also shows that some practices are not outspokenly agonist but could serve as stepping stones to reach an agonistic peace. These findings are divided into two main areas: ‘direct’ and ‘indirect’ agonism. This new concept, a division of the notion of agonistic practices into direct and indirect agonism, is this study’s main contribution to the research field.