This article examines the idea that historical memory can assist democratic transitions, delving into how this idea applies to the case of Iraq. “Historical memory” is defined as the collective understanding that a specific group of people shares about past events which this group perceives as having shaped its current economic, cultural, social, and political status and identity. How this memory shapes Iraq’s democratization is important not only in understanding Iraq, but in understanding the conditions under which democracy prospers.
About the Author
Eric Davis is professor of political science and former director of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Rutgers University. His books include Challenging Colonialism: Bank Misr and Egyptian Industrialization, 1920–1941 (1983), Statecraft in the Middle East: Oil, Historical Memory, and Popular Culture (1991), and Memories of State: Politics, History, and Collective Identity in Modern Iraq (2005).
The U.S.-led reconstruction effort has so far failed to establish democratic institutions in Iraq. But as troubled as that effort has been, it provides valuable lessons for future nation-building endeavors.
Representatives of the Iraqi democratic opposition to Saddam Hussein assess what must be done to overcome the legacy of dictatorship and pave the way toward a free and democratic future…
