15th Annual International Conference on Urban Studies & Planning

Aleksandra Wojtaszek attended the 5th Annual International Conference on Urban Studies and Planning, held in Athens on April 2-3, 2025.

Abstract: From 1990 to 2003, Iraq was subject to international sanctions that were arguably the longest running, the most comprehensive and devastating of any established in the name of international governance (Gordon, 2010). The sanctions, as well as the bombing campaign of 1991 amidst the Gulf War, brought about the near collapse of Iraq’s infrastructure. Basic living conditions for the population deteriorated, and the sanctions heavily impacted the country’s social, economic, and political realities (Gordon, 2010; Graham-Brown, 1999). However, literature on sanctions mostly addresses political, economic and humanitarian aspects, often overlooking adaptations of urban actors to the prolonged pressures of this policy instrument (Gordon, 2010; Graham-Brown, 1999, Alnasrawi, 2001). The sanctions, as well as the bombing campaign of 1991 amidst the Gulf War, brought about the near collapse of Iraq’s infrastructure. Basic living conditions for the population deteriorated, and the sanctions heavily impacted the country’s social, economic, and political realities. This study employs a mixed-methods approach, from fieldwork in Baghdad, archival research and interviews with a professional community of experts involved in urban planning during the sanctions. The research identifies three primary factors that influenced urban situation of Baghdad during the sanctions: 1) international isolation, which meant termination of foreign contracts and increased role of local experts; 2) the economic crisis, which led to the suspension or delay of most infrastructural projects; and 3) the tightening grip of the authoritarian regime, which centralized urban decisions within the Presidency Office, often neglecting broader urban needs. By shifting the focus to the urban situation and exploring how urban actors responded to the severe disruptions caused by sanctions, the research contributes to a better understanding of how cities and urban actors function under different kinds of shocks.