“Politics of Memory II”

Virtual lecture series "Iraq 20 Years after the US Invasion: The Politics and memory of the transition from dictatorship and occupation”

The US-led invasion and occupation of Iraq in 2003 was a watershed event in recent history. It ended the reign of one of the most brutal anciens régimes in the Middle East. Together with Afghanistan it marked the beginning of American “forever wars”, split Europe into an “old” and a “new” part, and shifted the regional power balance in favor of Iran. The impact on Iraq was profound. Outright dictatorship gave way to civil war and the construction of a hybrid regime that combined sectarianism and formally democratic institutions with rampant corruption and authoritarian forms of patronage. Yet the transition also opened new opportunities for Iraqi civil society to express its aspiration and grievances, including the politics of gender, minorities and memory. Economic sectors such as education, health care and natural resources underwent new developments and legal and governance structures were reformed. This virtual lecture series by internationally renowned experts gives an overview of developments since the invasion in 2003, discusses how they have shaped Iraqi society and gives an outlook on possible future pathways.

11. Virtual lecture Tue, 20. Jun. 2023: 

Amer Sultan (Al Salam University Company, Kuweit and Bangor University, UK): “Rewriting history between Baathist politics under Saddam era and Islamic parties after 2003”

Arran Walshe (New York University, USA): “Iraqi Martyrdom Foundation (mu’assassat al-shuhada’), a public institution founded in 2006 and what values it conveys and what dicourses it engender”

Moderator: Dina Khoury (George Washington University, USA)