Second Source

Brown, L., & Romano, D. (2006). Women in post-saddam iraq: One step forward or two steps back? NWSA Journal, 18(3), 51. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/233234726?accountid=6199


Title: Women in post- Sadam Iraq: One Step Forward or Two Steps Back?

This scholarly source examines woman's rights in Iraq since the fall of Sadam Huessein. The author gives and extensive history of woman in Iraq since the 1920's. The article compares the freedoms woman held before and during Sadam's regime to the rights they had after the American occupation up until 2006. It then goes on to give suggestions on how to improve the situation for Iraqi woman and predicts the direction in which Iraq is heading.

I can use the article in my essay to show how woman are living during the time Riverbend was writing her blog. This will give more insight to the conditions Iraqi woman like Riverbend were living under. The history given through to 20th century will be helpful in demonstrating the evolution of woman's freedoms (or lack there of). This article also gives detailed examples if the injustices woman are facing.

First Resource

Stanski, V. (2005). Linchpin for democracy: The critical role of civil society in iraq. Journal of Third World Studies, 22(2), 197-225. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/60138060?accountid=6199

Since I am writing about the evolution of woman's rights in Iraq, I chose this scholarly article written in 2005. Much of what the author refers to took place in 2003-2004, so it can be compared to what Riverbend wrote about and how she felt as an Iraqi women during the time that Iraq was forming its new government. This article gives good detail of woman's participation in Iraqi government since before Sadam Huessein's regime up to the present.

The author is researching woman's role in transforming Iraqi social and political society into a democratic society. Stanski gathers information through interviews, personal conversations and surveys of Iraqi woman along with the use of news articles and historical texts. This allows him to compare the current state of woman participation to that of the past and to make recommendations for the future. I can use this article to evaluate the opinions of other woman during Riverbend's blogs. It will give insight to the extent of participation woman had in politics before and during Sadam's rule and most importantly, after American occupation.

Thesis Statements

1. The American government's intervention in Iraq has created a weak, unreliable Governing Council that runs the broken nation.

2. Iraqi woman are now less free and are more open to harassment since the war with the U.S. than they were 25 years ago.

3. Iraq is better off economically employing local companies within the country to rebuild destructed areas rather than hiring large corporations and paying steeper prices.

Children's Education in Iraq

Since the conflict between Iraq and the U.S, education in Iraq has much greatly affected. 818,000 students, about 22% of primary-school aged children no longer attend school. Around 74% of this population are females. Parents are keeping their children home from school to keep them safe from the dangerous attacks that are taking place across Baghdad and Iraq. Much of the female population is being targeted for abduction by extremists groups and females are often harassed if they are not wearing proper attire (i.e. the "hijab" or head covering). This information is a direct parallel to the incidents that  Riverbend refers to in her blog.

A statistician form the Ministry of Education in Iraq claims that 110 children have been killed in attacks on Iraqi schools and 95 have been injured, and this does not even include the casualties of students walking home from school. Teachers are stepping down from their jobs in an attempt to keep themselves safe. Even a 20-50% pay increase given by the Ministry of Education could not convince these teachers to stay.This leaves the school with lesser qualified educators.  The chaos throughout the country is having an adverse effect on the education of the nation's young people, which could prove to hold back the country's future.

Works Cited:
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=70697

Theme

One theme Riverbend tries to point out throughout her blog is how Iraqis are more similar to Americans than most think. Riverbend feels that American try to portray Iraqis as primitive and savage-like, when that is not the case. She emphasizes that most Iraqis are technologically and intellectually on the same level as Americans.

1. "Myth: Iraqis, prior to occupation, lived in little beige tents set up on the sides on little dirt roads all over Baghdad." (pg. 34)

2. "The Truth: Iraqis lived in houses with running water and electricity. Thousands of them owned computers." (pg. 34)

3. "Many modern day sheikhs in Iraq have college degrees. Many have lived abroad and own property in London, Beirut, and various other glamorous capitals...they ride around in Mercedes and live in sprawling villas fully furnished with Victorian furniture, Persian carpets, oil paintings, and air conditioners." (pg. 88)

4. "As to my connection with Western culture...you wouldn't believe how many young Iraqi people know so much about American/British/French pop culture. They know about Arnold Schwarzenegger, Brad Pitt, Whitney Houston, McDonalds, and M.I.B's" (pg. 20)

5. "You know what really bugs me about posting on the internet, chat room, or message boards? The first reaction (usually from Americans) is 'You're lying, you're not Iraqi.' Why am I not Iraqi, well because a. I have internet access (Iraqis have no internet)....How is it that we're seen as another Afghanistan?" (pg. 6)

6. "I wasn't dancing because the faces on the screen, could have been the same faces in front of the Amiriyah shelter on February 13...it's strange how horror obliterates ethnic differences- all faces look the same when they are witnessing the death of loved ones." (pg. 48)

7. "Before the war about 50% of college students were females, and over 50% of the working force was composed of females." (pg. 17)

Welcome

This is my English blog.