OxPeace 2017: What prospects for restoring cultural heritage in Iraq?

John Curtis will describe the destruction of tangible and intangible cultural heritage in Iraq, beginning with the first Gulf War in 1991 and continuing to the ravages of ISIS in 2014-2017. He will review the mostly unsuccessful attempts to protect that cultural heritage, and examine what prospects there might be for rebuilding it, particularly after the defeat of ISIS in the north. Lastly, he will consider what implications this has for a lasting peace in Iraq and for the future of the Iraqi state.