Oil and National Identity in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq: Conflicts at the Frontier of Petro-Capitalism

This book explores the interplay between the oil economy and identity politics in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, highlighting the role of extractivism in territorial disputes, ethnic tensions, and political dynamics. It provides an empirical analysis of the connections between extractive industries, oil imaginaries, and identity formation in one of the world's most coveted energy frontiers.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 190 pages
Publication date: 25 September 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Since the ousting of Saddam Hussein, the de facto borders of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq have repeatedly changed, with energy interests playing a major role in such processes of territorialization. However, relatively little research exists on the topic. This book provides a timely, empirical analysis of the intersections between extractive industries, oil imaginaries, and identity formation in one of the most coveted energy frontiers worldwide. It shines a light on relations between the global production networks of petro-capitalism and extractive localities. Besides the strained federal relationship with the Iraqi central government, the transformative effects the petroleum industry has had on Kurdish society are also explored in depth. Moreover, the book fills a gap in the literature on Kurdish Studies, which has devoted scant attention to energy-related issues in the re-imagination of Kurdish self-determination.

This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of the extractive industries, energy studies, conflict studies, Middle Eastern politics, and political ecology.

Weight: 320g
Dimension: 156 x 233 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367751289