Thesis: “The Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES/Rojava): Emergence, Governance, Legitimacy and Recognition“
Dorota Sedminová is a Slovak professional based in Brussels, working at the European Commission as an assistant in the team of the Director-General for Economic and Financial Affairs. She holds degrees in Translation and Interpreting, Diplomatic Studies, and International Politics (CERIS-ULB). Her professional experience includes working in EU institutions, multinational companies in the area of business administration and stakeholder relations, as well as language interpreting. Her research interests include governance, international relations, and political developments in the Middle East. Her thesis explores the rise of Rojava in Assad-era Syria, examining the relationship between self-governance, legitimacy, and international recognition in conflict settings. She speaks Slovak, English, Italian, Spanish, and French.
The thesis is structured into five chapters. Chapter 1 introduces the research problem and significance. Chapter 2 outlines the historical developments of Kurdish marginalisation, situating Rojava within the broader history of Kurdish struggles and the ideological evolution leading to the concept of democratic confederalism. Chapter 3 examines the governance model of Rojava, beginning with an overview of its institutional structures and then evaluating them through good governance principles. Chapter 4 focuses on the question of legitimacy and how it is earned and created in conflict settings. It shows that in Rojava, internal legitimacy has derived not only from the governance reforms but also from Kurdish identity, lengthy struggle and the provision of basic security in a context where the Syrian state failed to do so. Chapter 5 focuses on the external dimension by analysing the lack of external recognition during Rojava’s existence. It explains sovereignty norms and institutional exclusion of Rojava from global fora and regional pressures such as Turkey’s and Iraq’s approach towards Rojava, Syrian government sovereignty claims, as well as the tactical engagement of great powers. Finally, Chapter 6 concludes the thesis by consolidating the findings and reflecting on their broader implications for Rojava’s governance, legitimacy and recognition.