Is Iraq a post-conflict society?

Since the US-led invasion in 2003 and the subsequent toppling of Saddam Hussein's regime, Iraq has grappled with sectarian divisions, political instability, ISIS, regional divisions, and waves of violence. Twenty years later, is Iraq now a 'post-conflict' society? Join two experts on Iraq for a deep dive into contemporary Iraqi politics, as well as a discussion of the prospects for a stable and democratic Iraq going forward.

• Chair: Dr Christine Cheng, Senior Lecturer in International Relations.
• Speakers: Mark Bryson-Richardson, UK Ambassador to Iraq and Toby Dodge, Professor of International Relations and Deputy Head of Department.

Speakers bios: 

Mark Bryson-Richardson

Prior to returning to Iraq to serve as Ambassador in July 2021, Mark Bryson-Richardson served in London as the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office’s Director covering the UK’s development and humanitarian programmes across the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe, and heading up the UK’s Stabilisation Unit, a cross government civil-military-police team that serves as a centre of expertise for the British Government on conflict, stability, security and justice issues.

Mark started his career more than twenty years ago in the UK’s then Foreign and Commonwealth Office looking at Gibraltar’s relations with the European Union. He went on from there to study Arabic in preparation for his first stint in Sudan, which was briefly interrupted to support the British Government’s expansion in Pakistan and Afghanistan following 11 September, 2001. He has since spent time overseas in Sudan, Afghanistan, Somalia and Iraq, and worked in the UK on the Middle East Peace Process and Libya.

Toby Dodge

Toby Dodge is a Professor in the Department of International Relations, as well as Deputy Head of the Department (PhD and Research) at the LSE. He is also Kuwait Professor and Director of the Kuwait Programme, Middle East Centre. Toby currently serves as Iraq Research Director for the DFID-funded Conflict Research Programme (CRP). From 2013–18, Toby was Director of the Middle East Centre.Toby's research concentrates on the evolution of the post-colonial state in the international system. The main focus of this work on the developing world is the state in the Middle East, specifically Iraq. He is the author of Inventing Iraq and Iraq–from war to a new authoritarianism, and many other books.