British colonialism in Iraq and anti-colonial nationalism, 1918-1920

This thesis sheds light on British colonization of Iraq during the period of 1918-1920 from within the conceptual framework of Eurocentrism, modern Western colonialism and anti-colonial nationalist resistance. This study also takes issue with the Eurocentric traits embedded in prevalent theories of nationalism. Based on a discourse analysis of the published British archival documents and reports during the 1918-1920 period, this study investigates the ways in which anti-colonial nationalist resistance in Iraq in general, and the 1920 Revolution in particular reshaped British colonial policies in Iraq. British colonial discourse in Iraq during the 1918-1920 period can be characterized by two features. As the second chapter of the thesis demonstrates, Eurocentrism occupies the central stage as the essential perspective that not only legitimizes modern Western colonization of the rest of world but also shapes the dominant historical narratives and geographical conceptions commonly found in the present-day world. In a similar vein, by criticizing Eurocentric assumptions embedded in theories of nationalism, the third chapter turns to anti-British resistance in Iraq from within the theoretical context of anti-colonial nationalism. Chapter Four traces British colonial discourse and Iraqi anti-colonial nationalism by way of discourse analysis of published British archival documents and reports. Keywords: Eurocentrism, British colonialism, Iraq, anti-colonial nationalism, the 1920 Revolt.