Dr. David Romano’s loved ones sometimes ask if he’d prefer to study a less volatile part of the world – Norwegian beaches, perhaps? But, that’s not him. He’s especially interested in social movements that take up arms for their cause.

The opportunity to examine such questions drew his attention to the Middle East and ultimately to Kurdish communities in the region.

Romano, who holds the Thomas G. Strong Chair for Middle Eastern Studies in the political science department at Missouri State University, explains some of his latest research on the Missouri State Journal.