Consolidating socio-spatial practices in a militarized public space :the case of Abu Nuwas street in Baghdad -

Abstract

Post-invasion Baghdad has undergone excessive processes of militarization of its urban spaces altering the pre-war way of life. As the power relations between the two main constituencies of the city, Sunni and Shia, have also been transformed along sectarian lines, security measures have assumed sectarian expressions. Abu Nuwas Street is one of the few remaining open public spaces along the Tigris with a symbolic significance for Baghdadis. At the same time, the street is the location of facilities with significant political visibility and, thus, potential targets for terrorist attacks. Also, the Green Zone (the walled and heavily secured state quarter) is just across the river. The street, therefore, has witnessed excessive deployment of security measures since its “reopening” and “renovation” in 2007 as a result of the “surge” military strategy under the then commanding general of the occupation forces David Petraeus. This thesis attempts to understand how the effects of militarization in the open public spaces of Abu Nuwas Street have affected socio-spatial practices of street users. My work involves the documentation of an important public space in a city rarely has it been explored in the fields of urban studies, urban planning, and political geography. Although, my hypothesis states, much socio-spatial practices are reduced, seeds of a vibrant and diverse public space can be found in the parks. I put forward a manifesto with planning recommendations to consolidate the currently existing diversity of socio-spatial practices in the parks’ public space.