Active Citizenship as a Mechanism for Achieving Societal Stability in Iraq: An Analytical Study in Light of Contemporary Political Thought
the international and political journal
Abstract
This study examines the role of active citizenship as a central mechanism for achieving societal stability in Iraq, in light of contemporary political thought. Iraq has suffered for decades from accumulated crises manifested in the fragility of the political structure, the spread of sectarian and ethnic conflicts, and weak trust between citizens and the state, which has negatively affected social cohesion. Accordingly, the study seeks to provide an analytical conception of active citizenship as an integrated framework that goes beyond mere legal rights towards active political and social participation and assuming responsibility for the public interest. The study adopts a critical analytical approach to deconstruct the problems of traditional citizenship, as well as a comparative approach to benefit from the experiences of some countries that succeeded in employing active citizenship to enhance stability. The study concludes that the absence of a culture of active citizenship is one of the most important causes of instability in Iraq, as weak community participation leads to the elite monopolizing
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باشكين، أوريـت (Orit Bashkin). “Hybrid Nationalisms: Waṭanī and Qawmī Visions in Iraq under ʿAbd al-Karim Qasim, 1958–61.” International Journal of Middle East Studies 43. 2011: 29
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