"A political history of Iraq in which the primary historical force is seen as the relationship between the central state and the narratives used by Iraqis to justify their political engagement over time. Through the eras of British mandate, tribal monarchy, Arab nationalism, and the control of the Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath party has been a tendency for politics to be seen mainly as way of disciplining the population to conformity with the rulers' visions of social order, argues Tripp. He looks at relationships between the state and competing visions of Shi'i politics, Arab nationalism, communist parties, Kurdish separatists, and others. Relatively less attention is paid to the impacts of outside powers." Publisher's review.

Includes maps of: Iraq: principal towns; Basra, Kuwait and the Shatt al-'Arab; Iraq and the Middle East; Kurdish Iraq.

List of illustrations -- Chronology -- Glossary -- List of abbreviations -- Map 1 Iraq : principal towns -- Map 2 Basra, Kuwait and the Shatt al-'Arab -- Map 3 Iraq and the Middle East -- Map 4 Kurdish Iraq -- Introduction -- The Ottoman provinces of Baghdad, Basra and Mosul -- The British mandate -- The Hashemite monarchy 1932-41 -- The Hashemite monarchy 1941-58 -- The republic 1958-68 --. The Ba'th and the rule of Saddam Husain 1968-2003 -- The American occupation and the parliamentary republic -- Conclusion -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Further reading and research -- Index.