تبيين و تحليل تاريخي زمينه‌ها و تأثيرات فعاليت‌هاي گرترود بل در پروژه دولت-ملت‌سازي در عراق پس از جنگ جهاني اول

Britain, Iraq, Gertrude Bell, State- an‎d Nation-Building Project, World War I.

Historical Explanation an‎d Analysis of the Contexts an‎d Effects of Gertrude Bell’s Activities in Post-world War I State-Nation building in Iraq

تاريخ

In the years preceding the First World War (1914–1918), Mesopotamia gained increasing importance for Britain for several reasons, including its location along the overlan‎d route leading to the Persian Gulf an‎d, consequently, maritime access to India, the necessity of safeguarding this route against potential threats, the growing presence of Germany in the region, an‎d the possibility of oil reserves in Mesopotamia. The outbreak of the First World War an‎d the entry of the Ottoman Empire into the conflict ultimately led to the collapse of the empire. In fact, the disintegration of Ottoman authority in Mesopotamia was not an automatic process; rather, it was the outcome of large-scale political engineering undertaken by the colonial powers, particularly Britain, which eventually resulted in the transfer of sovereignty over much of the former Ottoman territories to British control. Initially, British policymakers sought to establish direct an‎d comprehensive domination over Mesopotamia. However, domestic an‎d international opposition to this policy shaped developments in occupied Mesopotamia in such a way that British officials were compelled to explore an‎d pursue alternative strategies for safeguarding British interests. The project that ultimately materialized can be described as a process of state-building an‎d nation-building in the newly established state of Iraq. At the center of this project stood individuals who, as field agents, served as intermediaries between the gran‎d policies formulated in London an‎d the social realities of local communities. Among the most prominent of these figures was Gertrude Margaret Lowthian Bell (1868–1926). The principal objective of the present dissertation is to explain an‎d historically analyze the contexts an‎d impacts of Gertrude Bell’s activities within the state-building an‎d nation-building project in post-Ottoman Iraq. The historiographical approach adopted in this study requires the researcher to view state-building an‎d nation-building not necessarily as a theoretical framework guiding the investigation—as is common in political science—but primarily as an operational reality that emerged through the complex process of trial an‎d error undertaken by British policymakers. To achieve this objective, the study draws upon Bell’s correspondence, library an‎d archival sources, official statements, an‎d contemporary press materials. By describing the historical circumstances an‎d examining Bell’s actions, it seeks to provide an analysis of her role in facilitating the realization of this project. The findings of this research indicate that, in her capacity as Oriental Secretary, Bell succeeded in aligning various tribal groups with Britain. Through her participation in significant conferences, particularly the Cairo Conference of 1921, she played a crucial role in the process of Iraqi state formation an‎d was instrumental in persuading British authorities to selec‎t Faisal as the ruler of Iraq. In order to secure Faisal’s acceptance, she helped neutralize opposition an‎d fostered alliances between him an‎d various tribal groups, thereby consolidating his position. Furthermore, following the establishment of the Iraqi state, she played an active role in cabinet formation. Her socio-cultural contributions to the project of Iraqi state-building an‎d nation-building included the establishment of hospitals an‎d libraries, the drafting of legislation for the protection of antiquities, an‎d the founding of the Iraq Museum.

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