Iraq: State and Society over a Century

2025-10-05

 Iraq: State and Society Over a Century 
Under the direct supervision of the Head  of the Board of Trustees of Bayt Al-Hikma (House of Wisdom), Dr. Qahtan Ni'ma Hassan Al-Khafaji, with a high-level academic presence and wide diplomatic representation, the work of the International Scientific Conference titled "Iraq: State and Society Over a Century" commenced today, Sunday, October 5, 2025. The conference was organized by theDepartment of Historical Studies at    Bayt al-Hikma  in cooperation with the French Institute of the Near East (IFPO), held at Hunayn ibn Ishaq Hall , Bayt Al- Hikma.
 Opening Session 
The conference proceedings were inaugurated with a welcoming speech by the Head of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Qahtan Ni'ma Hassan Al-Khafaji, who welcomed the guests from inside and outside Iraq. Dr.Al-Khafaji pointed to the endeavors of  Bayt al-Hikma, through its scientific departments, to enhance the intellectual and cultural movement in Iraq across various fields of knowledge and sciences. He also affirmed the institution's commitment to strengthening ties of scientific and cultural cooperation, and opening up to Arab and foreign centers and universities to support the scientific process, cultural exchange , and joint work.
Then followed the speech of His Excellency the Ambassador of Republic of France in Iraq, Mr. Patrick Durel, who praised the role of Bayt al-Hikma institution in the field of cultural and academic exchange through the twinning of researchers with their counterparts in scientific and cultural forums and conferences. He stressed the necessity of reinforcing and developing Iraqi-French relations and opening broad paths  for cooperation, especially in the scientific and cultural domains.
Next came the speech of the Director of the French Institute of the Near East, Professor Dr. Kamel Dorai, who expressed  the scientific importance of the conference and the role of  Bayt al-Hikma in strengthening relations between the two countries by creating a scientific environment that allows for the exchange of expertise between French and Iraqi researchers.
 First Day Sessions 
The first day's proceedings included a lecture by the French historian Professor Henry Laurens, titled "The Modern State in the Middle East: Its Genesis and Problem." He discussed the Ottoman Empire and the political changes at the end of the eighteenth century, leading up to the modern Ottoman state and its series of major laws in various fields.
Then followed the  scientific sessions with the participation of a group of Iraqi and French professors and researchers. The first session was chaired by Prof. Dr. Fallah Al-Asadi .It was titled "The Formation of States from the 1920s to the 1950s." It addressed the historical and methodological issues posed by the relationship between the state and society since the nineteenth century. The researchers reviewed competing models of the state, from the Ottoman Monarchy to the independent Monarchy, and Ali Al-Wardi's critique of the intellectual and political scene in Iraq in the fifties. The session also included a detailed explanation of the reasons for the weak participation of the southern region in the Iraqi government during the establishing phase.
The second scientific session was chaired by Dr. Géraldine Chatelard from the Institute for Research and Studies on the Arab and Muslim Worlds.  It was titled "Political Forces and Civil Society in republican  System 1958-1968," it dealt with the transformations that took place in Iraq since the 1950s, an analytical study of how political forces emerged , how opposition parties were organized, and an investigation into the way civil society attempted to resist the First Republican regime.
The two -consecutive day conference activities will be held in the halls of  Bayt al-Hikma, with an academic and scientific attendance representing the best history professors from Iraqi universities across various governorates.