Instrumentalism and Its Explanation of Shia Elite Manipulation in Iraq After 2003

Abstract

This study examines the role of Shiite elite groups in manipulating sectarian identity in post-2003 Iraq from the perspective of instrumentalist theory. The research question addresses how instrumentalism explains the role of Shiite elite groups in manipulating Shiite sectarian identity after 2003. The importance of this study lies in its potential to demonstrate that the manipulation of Shiite identity has contributed to external interference, political instability, ethnic imbalance, and the weakening of the country's political institutions. Based on a qualitative approach, the study examines the impact of influential Shiite elites in Iraqi politics, focusing on figures like Nuri al-Maliki and Muqtada al-Sadr. Since gaining power in 2003, these elites have accessed substantial political, economic, and military resources, which they have used to promote their agendas. It highlights how they manipulate Shiite identity for political, economic, and sectarian benefits through their influential positions. The findings suggest that their policies have contributed to the weakening and sectarianization of state institutions, increased external interference, and adversely affected the balance among ethnic groups, thereby escalating tensions.