Elements of Identity in Iraq after the year 2005

Abstract

After 2005, Iraq entered a new phase. The new Iraq represented not merely a shift in the political system or ruling elite, but a transformation of all vital issues. Our research focuses on the change in Iraq's identity. Prior to the collapse of the political regime in Iraq in 2003, the identity representing Iraq was predominantly Sunni. However, following the U.S. invasion of Iraq, the identity that came to represent the country transitioned to a Shiite identity, which encompassed Iraq's entire political agenda, behavior, and aspects. This new identity in the reformed Iraq is composed of various ethnicities and components analyzed in this study: religion, sect, and culture. It is important to note that while there are other elements of this identity, this study has concentrated on these three components.