Structuring National Identity in post-2003 Iraq

Abstract

Today, Iraq is witnessing a sharp ethnic division, which has opened the
door for regional and international interventions in its internal affairs. One of
the repercussions of this division is the tyranny of national or sectarian loyalty
over loyalty to the homeland, and thus the tyranny of subsidiary social identities
over national identity.
This research seeks to identify the most important reasons that prevented
and still hinder the building of a comprehensive and solid Iraqi national
identity. It also seeks to identify the ways for reaching a state of harmony and
cooperation among Iraqis of all ethnic and sectarian backgrounds .
Finally, the research attempts to identify the ways that lead to making the
ethnic diversity in the Iraqi society a factor of strength and stability rather than
a factor of weakness and deterioration.