Iraq: armed influence in education and sub-national governance and their implications for statehood

This paper examines the influence of Shia armed groups on sub-national governance structures in Iraq, focusing on the education sector in Nineveh province. Drawing on Bourdieu’s conceptualisation of the state as a field of power, the study investigates how these groups extend their influence beyond security by embedding themselves in local governance and education. Based on twenty-one interviews with educators, academics, and community representatives, the paper shows that armed groups use educational activities to consolidate power, accumulate cultural and symbolic capital, and shape ideological narratives. The findings highlight a dual strategy: these groups operate within existing state frameworks while simultaneously reshaping state authority. This research contributes to scholarship by moving beyond security-focused analyses to demonstrate how armed groups’ educational interventions represent a sophisticated form of governance contestation. By examining education as a previously unexplored site of power accumulation, the study reveals mechanisms through which armed actors transform from military forces into governance entities capable of shaping future generations, challenging conventional distinctions between state and non-state governance.