Rahim Surkhi is a scholar of applied linguistics and holds a Ph.D. from Salahaddin University-Erbil (Iraqi Kurdistan – KRG), specializing in Kurdish linguistics. He has 14 years of experience as a university professor, teaching courses within the departments of Persian language, and Kurdish Language, and supervising graduate students. A strong researcher as well, Mr. Surkhi has published 6 books, 5 academic articles and 2 chapters in edited books. Additionally, he has authored several encyclopedia entries on Kurdish issues and contributed articles to Kurdish and Persian media sites. His research focuses on applied linguistics, educational linguistics, language policy, discourse studies, and Kurdish ethnicity and culture.
Adding to his academic expertise, Mr. Surkhi has ample experience as a journalist, through which he wrote for and helped develop a literary and cultural journal on Kurdish issues. Unable to continue his work in Iraqi Kurdistan or safely return to Iran because of the content of his academic work, social activism and journalism, as well as threats of violence and harassment due to his nationality and the ongoing violence there, Rahim Surkhi travelled to Canada. He is hosted by the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute at uOttawa and Carleton’s School of Linguistics and Language Studies. During his time in Ottawa, he will teach a course on the Kurdish language and conduct research on a Kurdish textbook and a critical discourse analysis of the language in Kurdish news media.