'Sectarianism in Iraq provides a valuable insight into the complex interactions of social, religious, political, and ideational dynamics that are all too often referred to as being solely responsible for the devastating decline into near-civil war in Iraq in 2006-7. Haddad presents a nuanced, balanced, at times provocative account of why Iraqis of different sectarian colour committed the most atrocious ... Read moreacts against each other, while both maintained a near-identical narrative of their nationalist view. Sectarianism in Iraq is a powerful and insightful analysis of one of the most catastrophic events in modern Iraqi history.'
Gareth Stansfield, Professor of Middle East Politics, Director of the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter
'Sectarianism in Iraq sets a new standard for the academic debate about sectarianism in Middle Eastern politics. ... Fanar Haddad explains the apparent paradox of why there is both a drive for continued sectarian coexistence in Iraq as well as frequent episodes of breakdowns of that lofty ideal. By zooming in on the dynamics of sectarian polarisation in 1991 and 2006, Haddad makes intelligible to the reader the continued search by Iraqi leaders for coexistence in a unified territorial framework, even in the midst of seemingly intractable quarrels.'
Dr Reidar Visser, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs
'Lucid and intriguing, Fanar Haddad's book crosses the minefield of sectarianism in Iraq with great success. By focusing on sectarian relations, rather than Shiis and Sunnis alone and by analyzing various levels of culture, Haddad ably circumvents the stringencies of the dominant version of Iraqi nationalism and its discourse that silences any attempt to touch the sectarian issue. This vanguard study paves the way for further interpretations of this sensitive subject.'
Dr Ronen Zeidel, Director of Research, Center for Iraq Studies, University of Haifa, Israel 'This book is a must for those who would like to understand present day Iraq' -Ghassan Atiyyah, Director of the Iraq Foundation for Development and Democracy
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