Between the Hammer and the Anvil: The Monument to the Unknown Soldier and the History of Iraqi National Identity
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31185/wjfh.Vol22.Iss1.1430Keywords:
National Identity, Monument to the Unknown Soldier, Political Symbolism, Iraq, Collective Memory, Political Systems.Abstract
This research presents an in-depth analysis of the Monument to the Unknown Soldier in Baghdad, considering it as one of the most prominent architectural symbols that contributed to shaping and representing Iraqi national identity, particularly during the rule of the Ba'ath Party. An analytical-historical approach was adopted to understand the political and cultural context in which the monument was constructed. The study demonstrates the monument was not merely a memorial to the unknown soldier, but rather a symbolic instrument utilized by the Ba’athist regime to reconstruct the concepts of sacrifice and belonging. The findings further reveal that the symbolism embodied in the monument was closely tied to the discourse of state power, which led to the decline of its significance after 2003. The research concludes that the Monument to the Unknown Soldier reflects the problematic relationship between the state and national symbols, particularly in pluralistic societies.
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