MES 12.02 Modern Iraq: Society, Politics, and Literature
Iraq is a pivotal country in the Middle East. Known to history as “the cradle of civilization,” Iraq was also the center of the Islamic world in medieval times. From Baghdad, the present-day capital of Iraq, Abbasid caliphs ruled a vast Muslim empire from the eighth to the thirteenth centuries. The political history of modern Iraq, however, has been characterized by authoritarian rule, communal strife, wars and occupation. In this course, we will examine the politics of Iraq under the British mandate, as an independent state under the monarchy, and as a republic after the coup of 1958. We will also examine the rule of the Baath and of Saddam Hussein as well as the American invasion of Iraq and its aftermath. Drawing on a mixture of texts and media, the course explores the prevalent tropes of Iraqi culture, the ideologies underpinning these tropes and in doing so provides a cultural context for understanding the forces that shaped the modern history of that country.
Instructor
Kadhim