To What Extent did the Construction of Colonial Borders Contribute to Current-Day Instabilities and Violence in Iraq and Syria?

Abstract

This research aims to determine to what extent the construction of colonial borders contributed to current-day instabilities and violence in Iraq and Syria. The project consists of several parts which clarify the research topic. The introduction section presents specific background details to set the discussion based on the research question and objectives initially outlined. The methodology employed in this study is described as historical qualitative analysis, implying the reference to numerous reliable sources that provide information on the past, present, and future trends associated with the violent conflicts in Iraq and Syria. The section of the literature review provides an in-depth exploration of important themes related to the research problem. These topics are identified as border and colonial legacies initiated by the French and British colonial powers, territoriality and geopolitics in the Middle East, conflict and instability in the states’ system, and artificial states and borders. A significant part of the study comprises the two case studies of Iraq and Syria to illustrate the main argument that the construction of colonial borders contributed to current-day instabilities and violence in those countries.