ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the role of identity protection in the formation of education both during the Ba'ath era and the post-war reconstruction period after 2003. It explores how education has previously been used to fortify or diminish ethic identity and culture in the region to understand the role of identity in today's Iraqi education system. Within the region, mother-tongue language has served as a key identity indicator for communities and the protection of language rights has been central to the negotiation of Iraqi education provision and regional political debate. Therefore the Iraqi debate over mother-tongue education access is not clearly defined, terminology between local groups and international observers is confused between language of birth and the traditional language of an ethnic community. This allows for cross-interpretations, confusing the need for access to mother-tongue education for pedagogical reasons with the desire to revive or protect a traditional language for societal security reasons.
