Durham University

Graduate Student, School of Government and International Affairs

PhD Candidate

Ustinov

About

Nussaibah Younis is currently researching Iraqi foreign policy since the 2003 war at the University of Durham under the supervision of Professor James Piscatori and Dr. Jeroen Gunning.

Her masters dissertation examined Iraq's post war constitution and electoral system and its effects on sectarianism in the county. The dissertation has formed the basis of an academic article published in the peer-reviewed journal Contemporary Arab Affairs.

The article is entitled: Set up to fail: consociational political structures in post-war Iraq, 2003–2010.

Abstract: Since Arend Lijphart’s development of the theory of consociationalism in 1969, dominant schools of thought have accepted that ‘power sharing’ and ‘group autonomy’ are the basic preconditions of democratic governance in divided societies. The constitution and electoral framework adopted by post-invasion Iraq instituted many of Lijphart’s recommendations, including proportional representation, federalism and a parliamentary system with a weak presidency.

But this democratic framework has failed Iraq. Eight months on from its 2010 parliamentary election and still struggling to establish an effective government, Iraq is facing constitutional crisis. This article uses the case study of Iraq to uncover fundamental flaws in orthodox arguments about democracy in divided societies and it goes on to recommend changes that would better enable stable and effective governance.

If you are interested in reading the full text of this article please email nussaibah@gmail.com.


Nussaibah also writes comment pieces for the Guardian's Comment is Free section, her page can be found at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/younis-nussaibah?INTCMP=SRCH