Social Consequences of the Post- Uprising Civil War (A Field Study in the Kurdistan Region-Iraq)

Social Consequences of the Post- Uprising Civil War

(A Field Study in the Kurdistan Region-Iraq)

Abstract

This qualitative scientific endeavor presents a multi-dimensional sociological analysis of the ramifications of the Kurdistan Region Civil War (1994-1998) between the Kurdistan Democratic Party and the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan. This event, recorded as a tragic turning point in modern Kurdish history, emerged as a direct historical anomaly following the 1991 uprising and during the sensitive phase of establishing a self-governing entity. From this perspective, the consequences of this war were not confined solely to material and human losses but have had long-lasting effects on the social fabric, the psychological well-being of individuals, and the political and economic landscape of the Kurdistan Region.

The primary objective of this study is to understand the social consequences of the post-uprising Civil War in the Kurdistan Region. The research adopted a qualitative methodology and a narrative approach. The study population comprises the Kurdistan Region and the areas that served as battlegrounds. Within this population, a purposive sample of (20) individuals was selected. To ensure saturation, two interviews were conducted as confirmation interviews. These methodological steps, known as the N+2 rule, strengthened the reliability of the study and refuted any academic doubts regarding the collected data. The rationale for selecting this sample was to include individuals who directly experienced the Civil War, while also considering diversity in geographical background (Erbil, Sulaymaniyah, Halabja, and Duhok), age, gender, and social status to ensure the richness and multi-dimensionality of the data.

Data were collected using a semi-structured interview instrument. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze the information gathered from the interviews.

As a result of analyzing the collected data, the researcher arrived at the following conclusions:

The most prominent findings included the weakening of social capital; general trust among individuals, cities, tribes, and even neighborhoods deteriorated. On the economic front, the study identified the disruption of economic infrastructure and a rise in poverty. Concurrently, due to the absence of men (due to war or migration), women were compelled to play primary roles in managing households and securing livelihoods, which in turn strengthened their social and economic standing in the long run.

Politically, the war led to the de facto division of the region into two separate administrations, undermining the region's unity. Psychologically, phenomena such as trauma, continuous anxiety, and fear of the future became widespread within society, posing the risk of intergenerational trauma.