Religious Politics in Iraq
Current Issues Briefing
Date and Time
Wednesday, May 21, 2003
10:00 AM–Noon
Location
U.S. Institute of Peace
2nd Floor Conference Room
1200 17th St, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Directions
Critical to the process of Iraq's reconstruction is an understanding of how religious factors may bear on interim governing processes and efforts to build a stable democracy. To explore some of the dynamics of religion and politics in Iraq, on May 21 the U.S. Institute of Peace hosted a Current Issues Briefing on religious politics in Iraq. Moderated by David Smock, director of the Institute's Religion and Peacemaking Initiative, the panel explored such issues as:
- The likelihood of Shi'ite-Sunni reconciliation and power-sharing in Iraq.
- Steps that might be taken by the international community to promote reconciliation among Shi'ites, Sunni, and Christians in Iraq.
- How the process of drafting a new Iraqi constitution might address issues related to religious pluralism and governance.
- Emerging theologies and political ideologies within the various religious communities throughout Iraq and how that may impact U.S.-led reconstruction efforts.
Speakers
- Graham Fuller
Author, The Future of Political Islam, and Co-author, The Arab Shi'a: The Forgotten Muslims
- Faleh Abdul-Jabar (Via Phone from London)
Editor, Ayatollahs, Sufis, and Ideologues: State, Religion, and Social Movements in Iraq, and incoming Institute Senior Fellow (2003-2004)
- Rend Rahim Francke
Co-author, The Arab Shi'a: the Forgotten Muslims, and Executive Director, Iraq Foundation
- Kenneth Katzman
Middle East Affairs Specialist, Congressional Research Service
- David Smock, Moderator
Director, Religion and Peacemaking Initiative, U.S. Institute of Peace
To listen to audio or to view video, please click on the links provided below. You also can right click on the links and choose "Save Target As" or "Download Linked File." This will save the file to your computer and then allow you to play it in your media player directly. More Audio Help.
