The Crisis of Iraqi National Identity Between Authoritarian Regimes and The Clash of Cultures
Keywords:
Authoritarian Regimes, National Identity, Cultural Conflict, Iraqi Identity, Regional ConflictAbstract
There is no doubt that there are many crises and problems that threaten many countries, especially Third World countries, with cracking and collapse. One of the most controversial and dangerous crises is national identity, as it is considered responsible for the common feeling among the members of one society that they are distinct from other societies. Iraq is among the main countries that have suffered from this crisis since the establishment of the modern Iraqi state in 1921 until the present time, and to varying degrees from one era to another. The secret of the existence of the rulers who succeeded to rule Iraq became linked to playing on the chord of this problem. The matter got worse after the British and American occupations, during which those occupying countries did not hesitate to stir up problems among the basic components of Iraqi society, which are basically suffering from latent symptoms and psychological, social and political accumulations that were detonated under several names that made the country ready to lose most of the ties and bonds that were sealing its cohesion and solidarity, and the fragmentation of its social fabric. Statements and developments have multiplied regarding the division or unity of Iraq, and it seems that they are based on an inaccurate distinction between the state and society. The unity of Iraqis is embodied in the fabric of their social relations, in the culture of tolerance derived from religion, shared experience, respect for neighborliness, and feelings of belonging to the land and history. As for the state, to the extent that it has succeeded in building national institutions, it has also largely failed in creating a comprehensive national culture that establishes a solid foundation for a national identity, and therefore it has always been subject to criticism.
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