ABSTRACT

The culture of a nation embodies its institutions, values, and norms of behavior, all rooted in history and collective memory. As U.S. and coalition forces worked to stabilize Iraq and transform Iraqi society, the nature of Iraqi identity and culture became relevant not only to anthropologists and archaeologists but also to policymakers and military officers. As Iraq began its post-Saddam, democratic phase, transformations within its culture have provided an interesting parallel to events in other Arabic-speaking states ruled by dictators. While violence might appear to predominate on the television news and in newspapers, beneath the surface there is a vibrant culture struggling to reassert itself.