Iraq

Few countries can claim to have endured such a difficult and tortuous history as that of Iraq. Its varied peoples have had to contend with externally imposed state–building at the end of the First World War, through to the rise of authoritarian military regimes, to the all–encompassing power of Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship. They have endured destructive wars, internationally–imposed sanctions, and a further bout of destabilizing regime change and subsequent state–building from 2003. The recent rise of the Islamic State, the consolidation of the Kurdistan Region, and the response of the Shi’i populace have brought the country to a de facto partition that may bring about Iraq’s final demise.
The second edition of Iraq: People, History, Politics provides a comprehensive analysis of the political, societal, and economic dynamics that have governed Iraq’s modern development. Situating recent events within a longer historical timeframe, this book is a must–read for anyone wanting to understand the deep histories that underpin the contemporary politics of this war–torn and troubled state.