Sirwan Renas is a Ph.D. candidate in Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania and holds two master’s degrees in Political Science and International Affairs. His research interests center on the politics of stateless nations at the national, regional, and global levels, with particular attention to self-determination movements, minority rights, nationalism, ethnic conflict, territorial justice, and border dynamics. His current research examines Kurdish nationalism, assessing its strengths and limitations and their implications for Kurdish self-determination and sovereignty. He integrates empirical research with normative political theory to evaluate both the institutional feasibility and normative desirability of self-determination. He also analyzes Kurdish politics and closely follows Middle Eastern affairs, focusing on how international dynamics shape the political trajectories of stateless nations and minority groups in the region.