Focuses on the uprisings in march 1991 and fall of. Sectarianism in iraq antagonistic visions of unity fanar haddad. There are competing visions for the future of iraq and the region that have manifested themselves through violent, sectarian conflict over the iraqi state and its resources, such as the 2006 civil. After a theoretical excursus that recasts the notion of primordial identity as a socially constructed reality, the author sets out to explain the persistence of sectarian affiliations in.
Sectarianism in iraq is a timely examination of an underresearched and controversial topic that continues to play a central role in shaping the countrys future. The fragmentation of syria and iraq and the redrawing of institutions and societies along increasingly sectarian lines meant that large numbers of people were excluded from political. After a theoretical excursus that recasts the notion of primordial identity as a. Sectarian politics in the gulf columbia university press. We often view iraqis through a sectarian prism, dividing them i. The end of sectarian violence in the middle east the. The sectarian fervor widely associated with the middle east has recent roots. A chain of political and religious upheavals, beginning. For example, nearly a third of marriages were between members of different sects. Fanar haddad fanar haddads work is a major landmark in iraq studies and in the understanding of the profound issue of sectariamism that has bedevilled its modern history. The book s stated aim is to provide the first concerted attempt to analyse the nature of sectarian relations and identities in iraq. Deploying a bourdieusian approach to explaining the rise of sectarianism within iraqs political field after 2003 involves identifying and explaining the rise to dominance of substate communalist principles of vision and division, that limit the universe of political discourse. Focusing on three gulf states affected most by sectarian tensions. Sectarianism has undergone a qualitative shift in iraq and syria since 20102011.
The discursive mapping of sectarianism in iraq the. Seeking to explain sectarian mobilisation in the middle. The iraniraq war and sectarianism in the middle east. Alqarawee was an assistant professor at baghdad university, a researcher at the center for international studiesbaghdad, and an adviser for several governmental and nongovernmental organizations in iraq, italy, and the united states. But can such broad terms, inherently resistant to accurate quantification, description and definition, ever be a.
Sectarianism in iraq sets a new standard for the academic debate about sectarianism in middle eastern politics. On the one hand, those promoting iraqi nationalism promote the myth that we are all brothersin other words, that sectarianism is not really an iraqi problem at all. By focusing on sectarian relations, rather than shiis and sunnis alone and by analyzing various levels of culture, haddad ably circumvents the stringencies of the dominant version of iraqi nationalism and its discourse that silences any. The author identifies the three trends that dominate iraq s postu. These are some of the questions explored in this book with a particular focus on the two most significant turning points in modern iraqi sectarian relations. Similar to the iraniraq war, saudi arabia and iran are using sectarianism to increase their. Wehrey shows in careful detail how sectarianism is invoked, produced and instrumentalized, and. Fanar haddad is a london based analyst of middle eastern and iraqi affairs.
Sectarianism in iraq is a powerful and insightful analysis of one of the most catastrophic events in modern iraqi history. Published by the arab center for research and policy studies in april 2018, sect, sectarianism and imagined sects is the latest book by public intellectual azmi bishara. Haddads main concern is to combat two opposing oversimplifications that too often dominate discussions of the subject. The myth and reality of sectarianism in iraq al jazeera. Nine years after saddam, iraq still finds itself in the midst of corruption and political negligence. Antagonistic visions of unity and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. Employing extensive fieldwork, this book sheds light on the dynamics of political life in postsaddam iraq and is essential reading for iraqi and middle east specialists, as well as those interested in understanding the current heightening of sectarian sunnishi c ite tensions in the middle east. Srokingisgha, getrnsisor, 2 isl iniyh fpkpnr the states relationship with its citizens post2003, as well as examples of crosssectarian discourse during the era of baath rule. F anar haddad has written a valuable book on the controversial issue of sectarianism in iraq. Categorizing shia groups into pro and against iran camps is an oversimplification of a much more complex relationship between the islamic republic and iraqs shia. The country, as established, was immediately home to a variety of religious and cultural groups that have clashed as power has ebbed back and forth between them. Sectarian politics in the gulf represents the most uptodate and insightful study on the politics of sectarianism in three key gulf countries. This book trenchantly challenges the lazy use of sectarianism as a magicbullet explanation for the regions ills, focusing on how various conflicts in the middle east have morphed from nonsectarian or crosssectarian and nonviolent movements into sectarian wars.
Sectarian violence in iraq is a recurring issue throughout the history of the region, since the modern borders of iraq were mostly demarcated in 1920 by the league of nations. As popular uprisings spread across the middle east, popular wisdom often held that the gulf states would remain beyond the fray. Fanar haddad explains the apparent paradox of why there is both a drive for continued sectarian coexistence in iraq and frequent breakdowns of that lofty ideal. Sectarianism in iraq aims to explain the devastating levels of violence between. Fanar haddad explains the apparent paradox of why there is. For too long, politicians have blamed their shortcomings on sectarian issues, marginalising the needs of the iraqi population. Mackey argues that as conquerors of iraq, the ottomanspresumably like the americans todaywere forced to contend with iraqi tribal dissidence and ungovernability in their efforts to. Imagining the nation, nationalism, sectarianism and sociopolitical conflict in iraq is an academic book by harith alqarawee who now goes by harith hasan, about how iraqs arab population has struggled to form a national identity from the foundation of the country to the present. Antagonistic visions of unity fanar haddad viewing iraq from the outside is made easier by compartmentalising its people at least the arabs among them into shias and sunnis. As a result, sunnis and shias led a fairly wellintegrated existence in iraq, especially in the larger cities.
A rising tendency to curb irans influence in iraq among some iraqi shia factions does not amount to a serious commitment to end political sectarianism among powerful shia groups. Sectarianism download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. Often, religious or political groups split into smaller sections called sects. Beginning with the 2003 invasion of iraq and concluding with the aftermath of the 2011 arab uprisings, frederic m.
Sectarianism in iraq ebook by khalil osman 97817674863. To be sectarian is to possess a limited range of interest, purpose, or scope, or to be devoted to a particularly narrow tradition or belief system. Nationalism, sectarianism and sociopolitical conflict in iraq. Gareth stansfield, director of the institute of arab and islamic studies, university of exeter lucid and intriguing, fanar haddads book crosses the minefield of sectarianism in iraq with great success. Click download or read online button to get sectarianism book now. The elections that bracketed the year, in january and december, underscored the newly acquired prominence of religion, perhaps the most significant. Iraqs biggest mass organisation from the 1940s to the 60s was the iraqi communist party, founded in 1934 by. Focusing on three gulf states affected most by sectarian tensionsbahrain, saudi arabia, and. Wehrey identifies the factors that have exacerbated or tempered sectarianism, including domestic political institutions, the media, clerical establishments, and the contagion effect of external regional events, such as the iraq war, the 2006 lebanon conflict, the arab uprisings, and syrias civil war. With firsthand accounts of events in bahrain, saudi arabia, and kuwait, matthiesen tells the story of the early.
While iraq certainly had ethnic tensions prior to the 2003 u. Far from being an intrinsic or innate feature of these societies, prof. Sectarianism in iraq is a timely examination of an. This report on sectarianism in the middle east was written in 2015 with the intent of informing u. This book links sectarianism in iraq to the failure of the modern nationstate to resolve tensions between sectarian identities and concepts of unified statehood and uniform citizenry. This book links sectarianism in iraq to the failure of the modern nationstate to resolve tensions between sectarian identities and concepts of. Sectarianism has become a destructive feature of the modern middle east. Sandra mackey, author of a book on iraq, also emphasized the sectariantribal framework in an article she wrote for the new york times in april 2004. The book both develops a theory on sects and sectarianism, and undertakes a sociologicalhistorical study on the emergence of sects. Critical look at how we compartmentalise iraqis into shias and sunnis.
Since the ini tial draft was completed, the united states and its allies have defeated the main combat contingent of the islamic state, the syrian regime of bashar alassad has rebounded from near defeat, and the govern. The book is organized like a thesis with an introduction where the main argument is. Sectarianism in iraq the making of state and nation. Today, the most common way iraq is referenced in political commentary is as an example of what states would resemble if they failed catastrophically. Sectarianism in iraq as a vanguard work in this field will be an informative book for those who would like to understand the iraq of today. But can such broad terms, inherently resistant to accurate. In sectarian gulf, toby matthiesen paints a very different picture, offering the first assessment of the arab spring across the region. Tracing the rise of sectarianism in iraq after 2003. First comprehensive analysis of sectarian relations and identities in iraq. Sectarianism and war in iraq and syria foreign policy. Within the context of an increasing geopolitical conflict that harnessed sectarian identities see also.
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