Isolated Resilience: Urban Situation in Baghdad under International Sanctions (1990-2003)

The prolonged crisis caused by international sanctions (1990-2003) forced urban actors in Baghdad to develop strategies to adapt, recover, and restore the city’s functions in the face of internal and external uncertainties. While existing literature on the sanctions predominantly addresses their macro-level political and economic consequences, this paper emphasizes the often-overlooked urban dimensions and the role of local urban actors. It is based on a mixed-methods approach, including fieldwork in Baghdad, archival research, and in-depth interviews with Iraqi experts who worked as consultants at public institutions in the urban planning sector during the sanctions. The study identifies three interrelated factors that shaped the urban situation of Baghdad at the time: international isolation, economic crisis, and institutional constraints. By focusing on the city of Baghdad, this study sheds light on urban challenges and ways of overcoming them during extended man-made crises, contributing to a deeper understanding of urban resilience.