Date Approved

2025

Degree Type

Open Access Senior Honors Thesis

Department or School

Political Science

First Advisor

Ebrahim Soltani, Ph.D.

Second Advisor

Shu Wang, Ph.D.

Third Advisor

Barbara Patrick, Ph.D.

Abstract

This study looks at how Iraq’s domestic politics have changed, moving from Saddam Hussein’s authoritarian rule to the post-2003 era that’s been heavily shaped by sectarian divisions. It focuses on how Shi’a communities were systematically oppressed under Saddam’s Sunni-led Ba’athist regime and then compares that to the frustrations many Sunnis have faced under the mostly Shi’a-led government that came after the U.S. invasion. By looking at government policies, shifts in society, and the current status of minority rights, I explore how sectarianism has shaped governance, complicated the Kurdish issue, and affected things like inter-sect marriages between Shi’a and Sunni Muslims. Through interviews with Shi’a individuals, I was able to get a more personal view of what these political changes have meant for people on the ground. My main argument is that while Iraq’s move toward democracy was supposed to bring fairness and inclusion, it’s actually made sectarian tensions more visible and deepened the divide in new ways. This paper adds to the conversation by centering real lived experiences and showing how identity and power are still at the heart of Iraq’s ongoing political struggles.

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