Sectarian conflicts in the 21st century novel literature of Iraq

Abstract

The Article analyses how the contemporary Iraqi novel literature illustrates sectarian conflicts. The Arab revolutions enabled writers to use literature to openly discuss this ever-present antagonism inherent in Arab societies. The article emphasizes that Iraqi authors analyse both internal reasons for persistent sectarianism and external, implying the American occupation of Iraq that has aggravated the situation in the country. The Iraqi novelists can offer no direct answer on how to escape the deadlock of sectarianism. There are no direct answers in the novel of A. Saadawi either. It should be pointed out that some characters consider his “humanoid” Shismu-Frankenstein creature to consist of pieces belonging to people of different races, tribes, social groups. The character could be interpreted as a protest against apathy, humility, cowardice, slave psychology of people who are not able to protect the treasure that is their lives. The author put Shismu under a constant threat of disintegration and it refers to the fact that the very process of consolidation of different pieces into a single entity that makes up the Iraqi nation has not yet been historically completed. The national feeling cannot yet trump narrow sectarian interests overcome their spiritual numbness, restore what has been destroyed in the souls of religious minorities that are psychologically traumatized, wounded by the sense of their inferiority and uselessness in the homeland. But until the last day of creation comes, while the last human is alive, it is too early to lose hope and close the book.

Keywords:

sectarianism, Muslims, Christians, Sunnis, Shiites, religious minorities, terrorist attacks, occupation, emigration