A scientific quarterly refereed journal dealing with Arab Gulf affairs in all political, economic, social, linguistic and literary aspects, issued by the Basra and Arabian Gulf Studies Center - University of Basra. Scope of the Journal Open Access The Arab Gulf is committed to open access and all content is freely available to all immediately after publication. Copyright Authors retain the copyright of their papers without restrictions.
جامعة البصرة- مركز دراسات البصرة والخليج العربي
The Sultanate State in Al-Taj by Al-Jahiz A Reading in the Political Structure and Monarchical Systems
The state is defined as the institution that organizes and supervises the affairs of society, establishes its laws, and maintains the security and interests of individuals through its legislative and organizational power and oversight. The state is but a phenomenon of natural society, generated according to a natural law, and its rule falls under the general rule of society, serving it and organizing the means of cooperation with it and maintaining peace. This is the natural state, which does not contradict its aspirations with those of the individual. Islamic political theorists such as Al-Jahiz sought to extract the features of the concept of the state and its political components from the Islamic political heritage, in addition to the legitimate politics of other cultural references. They aimed to regulate the laws and transactions governing the Islamic society in new frameworks of governance and politics based on theorizing the project of the civil state within the logic of rationality, realism, and civilization, instead of tribal fanaticism and populist thought. The political project of the state was given value according to the laws imposed by the ruler, caliph, or imam, which enhance his status and assign the rightful ranks to the state’s officials. This forms the basis of political work based on reverence, respect, preservation of titles, and obedience to the authority. In this research, we aspire to clarify the manifestations of this influence and its entrenchment in the political traditions of the Abbasids through his attributed book Al-Taj fi Akhlaq al-Muluk (The Crown in the Ethics of Kings), relying on the descriptive-analytical method.
Professor Doctor Nizar Abdul Mohsen Jaafar Al-Dagher
Iranian-North Korean Relations during the Era of Mohammad Khatami (1997-2005)
This research addresses the development of Iranian-North Korean relations during the period (1997-2005) within an international and regional context characterized by escalating American pressures on countries classified within the "Axis of Evil." The study focuses on the dimensions of political, military, and technical cooperation between the two parties as a fundamental basis for this relationship. It also discusses the impact of international sanctions and the stance on the nuclear file, as well as the limits of strategic coordination in facing international isolation. The research concludes that the relationship was based more on pragmatic mutual political interests than on an ideological alliance, contributing to enhancing the negotiating capabilities of both parties vis-à-vis major powers without reaching the level of a comprehensive alliance.
Assistant Professor Doctor Ali Jawda Subaih Al-Maliki
"ISIS" in Light of the United Nations Secretary-General Reports 2016-2023
This study presents a systematic analysis of the contents of the United Nations Secretary-General reports issued between 2016 and 2023 concerning the terrorist organization "ISIS," aiming to clarify the nature of the threat posed by the organization and to assess the effectiveness of the international response in confronting it. The focus is on the role of the United Nations in coordinating security and intelligence efforts, combating terrorism financing, countering extremist discourse, as well as supporting member states in building their institutional and legal capacities. The study concluded that ISIS managed to adapt to military pressures by reshaping itself within decentralized networks, benefiting from the digital space and politically and socially fragile areas. In contrast, the United Nations adopted a comprehensive approach combining security measures, ideological and social treatments, regional and international cooperation, establishing a sustainable international coordination strategy, and developing confrontation tools in line with the changing nature of threats.
Economic Relations between the Soviet Union and Yemen and the British Position on Them (1928-1938)
The strategic geography of Yemen has been a coveted prize for international powers since the late nineteenth century, marked by fierce competition among major colonial powers, especially Britain and France. The British controlled Aden from 1839 until World War II in 1939. However, after the Soviet Union was established in 1922 and the Soviets began opening up to both the Western and Eastern worlds as part of the Kremlin’s foreign policy at the time, establishing trade relations with countries in the Arabian Peninsula during the 1920s, including Yemen, represented an important phase in the history of Arab-Soviet relations. Despite the intense international rivalry and hostility against the Soviet Union, the latter pursued a policy and diplomacy based on economic relations with the outside world. They succeeded in extending their influence toward the Arabian Peninsula, including Yemen, with which they signed the treaty known as the "Sana’a Treaty" in 1928, lasting a full decade, despite British and Italian competition against Soviet influence in the region.
Contemporary Iraqi Society Between Social Values and New Political Modernization After 2003
This study sheds light on the nature of the relationship between the prevailing values in society and their impact on political modernization in the contemporary history of Iraq, which has changed for many reasons, most notably the entry of the American occupation in 2003, and the nature of the accumulation of social values that were dominant before the mentioned occupation phase. Additionally, the entry of the technology factor (the global information network) has made Iraqi society more in need than ever before to manage knowledge, which is intended to practice a specific methodology to acquire productive experiences and knowledge and use them with modern development. It is important to note that the phase of democratic building in Iraq, which was one of the main alleged motives for the American occupation, was built on decisions and laws rather than on gradual change and a space for democratic upbringing similar to what exists in societies with established democracies. Furthermore, political modernization has become of great importance in the contemporary world. Third-world societies have witnessed many changes due to internal and international circumstances. On this basis, these societies witnessed the emergence of political parties and forces that changed the concept of political participation and decision-making processes, which affected their values and ideologies. Thus, political modernization has become a characteristic of Iraqi society in various fields.
The Library of the Islamic Consultative Assembly in Iran: Its Establishment and Scientific Departments (A Historical Study)
This research deals with the establishment of the Library of the Islamic Consultative Assembly in Iran and its scientific departments. Its founding dates back to 1909, coinciding with the first session of the Iranian National Consultative Assembly, making it one of the most prominent official scientific institutions providing services to researchers. The library is distinguished by containing authentic and diverse historical sources in many languages, which granted it a distinguished scientific position. The credit for its establishment goes to the representative of the Zoroastrian community, Kaykhosrow Shahrokh, who initiated the creation of a library within the building of the National Consultative Assembly, contributing to preserving the Iranian cultural and civilizational heritage. More than a century has passed since its establishment, and the library's primary objective was to support the legislative process by providing the necessary information to members of the Consultative Assembly, which contributed to enhancing their legislative knowledge and culture. The library is also considered an important scientific and cultural center, as it houses a large collection of manuscripts and rare historical documents, making it one of the most prominent scientific institutions in Iran.
Lecturer Doctor Ahmad Ta'amah Jaafar Al-Mosawi
The Attack on the Sacred Kaaba from the Pre-Islamic Era until the End of the Abbasid Period - A Historical Study
The great sanctity that the Sacred Kaaba enjoyed - since the pre-Islamic period - did not prevent it from being exposed to aggression and attacks, or attempts to attack it, for multiple reasons and motives. This study tracks these attacks on the Sacred Kaaba, some of which led to its destruction or the destruction of parts of it, or constituted violations of its sanctity even if they did not result in demolition. The study covers the period from the pre-Islamic era to the end of the Abbasid period. Previous studies focused on the issue of renovating and caring for the Kaaba motivated by its sanctification. However, this modest study seeks to document the opposite aspect - namely, the violation of the Sacred Kaaba and its sanctity and attempts to destroy it, not merely for rebuilding or renovation purposes, but to remove it from the face of the earth to divert attention to invented sanctities or to violate it as punishment and humiliation for those who rebelled against authority and took refuge in it. This is a recurring phenomenon that did not stop with the failed campaign of Abraha in the pre-Islamic period, but extended temporally to similar events that were more ugly and disrespectful to this great religious and historical symbol of the Arabs in particular and Muslims in general, passing through the Umayyad period and reaching the Abbasid era. Success comes from Allah.
Assistant Lecturer Dhiqa'a Abdul Ghani Ghalib Al-Asadi
The Grammatical Structure of Certainty in Nahj al-Balagha
This research represents an attempt to analyze the grammatical structures that frame the epistemology of certainty in Imam Ali’s (peace be upon him) Nahj al-Balagha, using a descriptive approach that describes the grammatical phenomenon after surveying its grammatical examples in Nahj al-Balagha to reach the addressees with a precise grammatical construction. The reason for choosing this topic is that it constitutes a valuable subject offering a grammatical analysis of the syntactic structure that carries a general intellectual image of certainty in Nahj al-Balagha. There are no previous grammatical studies specialized in this topic, as prior grammatical studies on Nahj al-Balagha did not link grammatical structure with epistemic certainty. Its importance lies in connecting grammar with epistemic certainty, as precise awareness of reality influences the production of clear and uncomplicated structures that harmonize the intuition of meaning with the smoothness of construction. This topic requires the researcher to survey grammatical structures indicating certainty, excluding those that may indicate conjecture or doubt. The research journey consists of an introduction to the concept of certainty in language and terminology. The first section opens with nominal grammatical structures focusing on fixed truths, supported by an analysis of examples from Nahj al-Balagha. This is followed by the second section, which specializes in verbal grammatical structures and their patterns in Nahj al-Balagha, focusing on grammatical constructions with intellectual content that lead actions to certainty. The research concludes with findings revealed by the researcher through examining the texts under the lens of grammatical analysis.
Phonetic Study in the Book of Qira’at by Abu Ubaid al-Qasim ibn Sallam (224 AH)
Qur’anic readings are a source of linguistic study at its four levels, and indeed the highest among them, as they derive their sanctity from the sanctity of the Qur’an. Abu Ubaid al-Qasim ibn Sallam (224 AH) was the first recognized imam to compile the readings in a book, as mentioned by Ibn al-Jazari (833 AH). Due to the importance of this book and its subject, it became the focus of my study in this research. I relied on the doctoral thesis that reconstructed this lost book, from which the texts of the book and the phonetic issues that formed the field of my research emerged. These issues include: letter and vowel substitution (Ibdal), assimilation (Idgham), inclination (Imala), emphasis (Tashdid), and the glottal stop (Hamza).
Assistant Professor Doctor Ayman Saleh Na’mah
Foundations and Techniques of Dialogue According to Imam Ali (Peace Be Upon Him)
One of the eloquence traits of a speaker is possessing dialogical techniques through which he can influence the audience. Therefore, it was necessary to examine the discourse of Imam Ali and study it to uncover some of the dialogical techniques he employed in his speeches and conversations in situations that required dialogue with others. Dialogue is a fundamental basis for communication and influencing the audience. The methods and ways mobilized in dialogue reveal the speaker’s capability and mastery of dialogical techniques.
Manifestations of the Other in the Poetry of Abdul Razzaq Al-Amiri: A Model
The question "What is the Other?" often comes to mind, and the answer is: the Other is everything different, meaning everything that is not us. It has representation in our scientific and literary life and exerts a significant influence on the souls of poets, writers, and literati. The Other occupies a large space in the arts of poetry when addressed through the language of the self. The Other is the self in its interaction with others, women, symbols, myths, estrangement, deprivation, and everything that affects the poet’s life, emotions, rituals, and psychological factors. The researcher deemed it appropriate to depict this Other, delve into it, and explore its psychological implications to clarify its state of influence, interaction, and transformation in the life of the Najafi poet Abdul Razzaq Al-Amiri and the depth of his experience. This is manifested in how he conveyed these feelings to us in a beautiful creative language.
The Sentence and Its Levels in Selected Models from the Poetry of Adnan Al-Sayegh: A Linguistic-Semantic Study
This research studies the sentence at its various levels as a fundamental unit in constructing poetic text. This is manifested in the analysis of selected models from the poems of the Iraqi poet Adnan Al-Sayegh, in light of a linguistic-semantic study that embodies the structure of language and its expressive richness. The syntactic and rhetorical style is part of the formation and continuity of the sentence, through which the process of reception and reading of the text is achieved according to an aesthetic experience that requires interpretation and analysis based on the components of the text and its potentials, which appear starting from the sentence and its different structures. The simple sentence was studied as a structural unit with complete meaning, and the verbal sentence as carrying internal dialogue and directed poetic discourse. Additionally, the phenomena of fronting and postponement were examined, which create semantic and aesthetic shifts in the context, alongside repetition as a means to highlight and intensify meanings, and ellipsis which contributes to conciseness and suggestion. The study showed that these levels do not only perform a structural function but also contribute to enhancing poetic meaning and constructing the text in a way that combines aesthetic formation and semantic depth, reflecting the poet’s awareness of linguistic structure and his ability to employ it artistically and skillfully to serve the poetic experience.
Issues of the Revelation of the Qur’anic Text Between the Islamic Perspective and Contemporary Debate: An Analytical Critical Study
This research presents an analytical critical study of the issues surrounding the "how the Qur’anic text was revealed," in terms of concept, stages, and interpretation, by tracing traditional and modern Islamic views as well as Western orientalist criticism. The study focused on analyzing the differences between nuzul (descent) and tanzil (revelation), between sudden and gradual revelation, and the metaphysical dimension of revelation versus modern historical and textual approaches. It also discussed the most prominent hypotheses of orientalists in this field, such as the theory of the gradual composition of the text, environmental influences, and the historicity of revelation, while providing rational and textual responses to them. The research concluded that the Islamic perspective possesses a coherent interpretive framework that combines sanctity and gradualness, revelation and reality, contrary to some Western readings.
Lecturer Doctor Anwar Abdul Ali Hameed Al-Miyah
The Silent and Voiced Pause in the Thirtieth Juz’ — A Semantic Study —
The pause is considered one of the most important components that contributed to building the rhythmic structure of the Qur’anic text, and there is an inseparable connection between the intended meaning of the verse and its pause through the linguistic and phonetic harmony between them. It is a facet of the linguistic miracle in the Holy Qur’an. The pauses in the thirtieth Juz’ varied between silent and voiced, with the silent pauses being predominant. Rhetorically, they varied between symmetrical, balanced, extreme, and solitary types.
Lecturer Doctor Ali Abdul Wahid Aziz Dhiab Al-Husseini
Fragmentation of the Female Self in the Novel Spider Woman by the Saudi Novelist Qamasha Al-Alyan: A Study in Stream of Consciousness Techniques
This research aims to address the fragmentation of the female self in the novel Spider Woman from the perspective of the stream of consciousness, which left an aesthetic and structural impact on the narrative text. It is considered one of the important experimental techniques employed in modern narration due to its ability to depict the character’s consciousness with precision and realism, especially after these texts opened up to the worlds of consciousness and unconsciousness. The study is divided into an introduction, a preface, and three main sections. The introduction is dedicated to defining the studied novel, while the preface deals with the theoretical framework of the study. The first section addresses the technique of the internal monologue as a tool to reveal the repressed internal rhythm. The second section focuses on the technique of free association as a mechanism to evoke the past without chronological order. The third section discusses the multiplicity of narrative voices, reflecting the crisis of self-fragmentation and the overlap between social references.
Features of Population Growth in Iraq for the Year 2022
Population growth rates vary from one stage to another, whether increasing or decreasing throughout their historical cycles, reflecting the economic, political, social, health, and demographic conditions experienced by population societies. Population growth is linked to two main pillars: natural increase, which results from the difference between births and deaths leading to population growth, and the second pillar represented by population migration, which plays an important and effective role in increasing or decreasing population groups. This study addresses the historical development of population growth in Iraq over the official censuses and the extent of its variation at the provincial level. It also examines the components of population growth represented by births, deaths, natural increase, and migration, their spatial variation, and studies the underlying reasons behind this variation.
Available Potential for Managing Investment of Hawr Al-Shuwaija Water Using Geomatics Applications - GEE Engine Platform
Climate and political changes compel us to seek the best available technical means to develop our water resources and move forward in achieving optimal management of this resource, which has become increasingly scarce. Hence, the process of harvesting water during the rainy season at the appropriate time and place, according to all historical data and geographical analyses using geomatics applications represented here by the GEE engine platform, has made the lowland of Hawr Al-Shuwaija - east of Wasit province - represent the ideal target for this study. The study concluded using geomatics information applications that Hawr Al-Shuwaija depression represents an important and very suitable site for water harvesting operations, and thus the possibility of transforming it from a seasonal marsh appearance to a permanent water surface in the region through the construction of appropriate dams and barriers. This will result in a large storage capacity reaching more than one billion cubic meters. Consequently, this process will be a significant addition to Iraqi water resources to confront the dangers and disasters of drought and severe desertification in the region due to climate change and its severity on one hand, and what Iraq's arbitrary policies impose from neighboring countries on the other hand. Therefore, implementing this project will enable real development of water resources and consequently agricultural, tourist, and environmental resources in this important region of Iraq. To achieve the greatest benefit, it is essential to take future measures to limit and control evaporation, especially during Iraq's scorching summer season, which appropriate solutions and methods have been proposed for in this study.
Professor Doctor Muhammad Salman Al-Jubouri
Assistant Professor Doctor Ahmed Saeed Al-Ghariri
Lecturer Doctor An Rujab Ahmed Al-Sammarai
Assistant Professor Doctor Ayad Abdul Ali Al-Shammari
Assessment of Noise Pollution Levels in Schools of Al-Batha City and Its Impact on the Quality of the Educational Environment
Assessing noise pollution levels in schools and understanding their impact on determining the quality of the educational environment represents a necessary step toward providing a safer and more effective learning environment for both students and teachers. This study aims to achieve this goal through a field survey based on measuring and analyzing noise levels in schools in Al-Batha city and evaluating their relationship with the quality of various educational environments. The study relied on measurements taken in selected schools at three times (during lessons, during breaks, and outside school boundaries), then compared these measurements with established environmental standards for evaluation using the (Decibel X) application. Additionally, 300 questionnaire forms were distributed to a random sample of students (final grade levels) with 15 forms per school, and an equal number for the teaching staff for the academic year 2024-2025 to understand the effect of high noise levels on the educational receptivity of students and teaching staff. The study concluded that the recorded noise levels exceed the specified and permissible standards, and most respondents among students and school staff suffer from high noise levels, which directly affect their educational abilities.
Assistant Professor Doctor Ali Dhaif Tayeh Al-Badri
Determining the Spatial Suitability of Kindergarten Services in Al-Qurna City Using Geographic Information Systems
In this research, spatial data processing and analysis were proposed to evaluate the current status of kindergartens in Al-Qurna city according to the distance criterion and the proximity or remoteness ranges of proposed kindergartens from the various street networks based on the neighborhoods of Al-Qurna city. This led to selecting the most suitable future locations according to spatial suitability models. Consequently, accurate digital maps for the year 2024 were produced, relying on modern satellite imagery after creating a database through statistical spatial processing using ArcGIS 10.2 software. The study found that the only three kindergartens in Al-Qurna city are concentrated in the old areas of Al-Qurna, while the new and emerging areas completely lack kindergartens. There is a significant shortage of these institutions, and thus an urgent need to establish new kindergartens in these areas. The spatial suitability application highlights the necessity of distributing kindergartens across all neighborhoods of the city to align with local, spatial, and population size standards.
Assistant Lecturer Shaimaa Khairi Zayer Al-Maliki
From Broken Heart to Healing the Soul: Purification and Return to Islam in Afro-American Narratives in the Novel The Hearts We Could Not Recover by Umm Zakiya
research addresses the narrative of returning to Islam in the novel The Hearts We Could Not Recover (2011) by Umm Zakiya, revealing the intertwining of the paths of inner purification and exposure to racial discrimination in constructing the spiritual experience of African American Muslims. The novel portrays the return to Islam as a journey of internal renewal continuously subjected to tests of racial and gender surveillance. Despite growing interest in Muslim literature after the events of September 11, return narratives among African Americans remain limited in critical presence, and Islamic ethical concepts are often separated from their narrative structure. This study addresses this gap by analyzing how the concepts of repentance (Tawbah), self-purification (Tazkiyah al-nafs), and intention (Niyyah) are formed within the novel’s ethical fabric, relying on an interdisciplinary approach blending Islamic ethics and postcolonial criticism, drawing on Edward Said’s critique of Orientalism and Frantz Fanon’s analysis of racial alienation. Ethics interprets the transformation of characters, self-restraint, and healing of brokenness, while criticism reveals the imbalances of law, culture, and hierarchical layers within the Muslim community. Through a close reading of scenes set in the mosque, home, and diasporic spaces, the analysis advances a dialectical logic where ethics clarifies motives and criticism reveals modalities. The study concludes that the novel embodies intention through internal monologue and focal distribution, simulates purification by slowing the rhythm based on restraint, habituation, and postponement, and perceives repentance as a public struggle subject to racial gaze accountability. Thus, the novel reconstructs the return to Islam among African Americans as healing that dismantles colonial legacies, transforming loss into dignity founded on connection with God, and highlighting the cultural expression of Black Muslims as an act of counter-resistance to the public sphere. Overall, the research offers an interpretive model linking Islamic ethics and literary form in post-9/11 narratives.
Historical Features of the Hellenistic Era (323 BCE – 30 BCE)
Undoubtedly, the Hellenistic era represents a distinctive civilizational phenomenon, characterized by the process of blending and interaction between the civilization of Mesopotamia and the Greek civilization. The term "Hellenistic era" is a new and modern designation resulting from the fusion and interaction between the civilization of Mesopotamia and other Eastern civilizations with the Western Greek civilization, forming this hybrid mixed civilization that flourished after the death of Alexander the Great. Consequently, this emerging new era was called the Hellenistic era, in contrast to its predecessor, which was called the Classical Hellenic era and preceded Alexander. The term "Hellenistic" was first used in the early nineteenth century by the German scholar Johann Droysen.
Assist Lecturer Ali Jassim Muhammad Al-Ansari
Researchers: Asst. Lecturer Anwar Gulf Peninsula Shield Force, Missions and Roles (2003–2011), A Historical Review
The Arab region in general was not the same before the occupation of Iraq in 2003 as it was after it. What the Gulf states feared had departed, namely the Saddam regime. It had been a source of concern and fear for the Gulf countries, and with its removal the danger was seen as removed. At this point, discussions and calls began to end the Peninsula Shield Force. By 2005, the Sultanate of Oman, through its Foreign Minister at the time, Yusuf bin Alawi, officially called for dissolving the Peninsula Shield Force, arguing that the need for it had ended with the disappearance of the threat. After this statement and demand, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia proposed dismantling the Peninsula Shield Force as a unified, centrally stationed force, and transforming it into specialized military units. Each state would supervise its own units, while keeping them on standby, to be called up in case of any emergency and combined with other units to form a unified force. Kuwait, for its part, called for finding an alternative to the Peninsula Shield Force after dismantling it, through a joint plan among the GCC states. This set of views, decisions, and directions indicates the GCC states’ inability to manage a unified military force composed of several military units. Some argued that this direction was driven by a struggle over who would control the force. The competition was specifically between Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Despite these divisions, the role of the Peninsula Shield Force in some battles cannot be denied. Even when it did not have a combat role, it participated through support and logistics, as happened during the 2003 war and occupation of Iraq. Its role was limited to rear support and logistics, and it had no role in combat operations or military planning. In 2011, when protests occurred in Bahrain, the situation was different. The Peninsula Shield Force played a prominent role in suppressing protesters and maintaining the country’s security and stability. The protests were treated as unlawful events, and the protesters were treated as enemies rather than as citizens in revolt. Excessive force was used against them, using harsh methods and all available capabilities. The military units involved in this suppression did not come from all GCC states, since some refused to participate, such as the Sultanate of Oman.
The Dimension of Conversational Implicature in the Prose Discourse of Sheikh Al-Wa'ili
This research addresses the theory of conversational implicature as formulated by the philosopher Paul Grice through two sections. The first section presents the theoretical foundation of the concept of conversational implicature, clarifying some of its basic pillars represented in the cooperation principle and its four maxims: quantity, quality, relation, and manner. The research also highlights how implicit meaning is produced, which transcends the literal meaning in discourse, and reveals what is left unsaid in communication contexts. The second section is applied, dealing with selected models from the prose discourse of Sheikh Doctor Ahmad Al-Wa'ili, analyzing them in light of Grice's theory. This analysis demonstrates how Sheikh Al-Wa'ili employs conversational implicature to convey deep religious and social messages indirectly, respecting the cultural context of the listener and considering the requirements of the occasion. The research also shows Al-Wa'ili's competence in using language intelligently to achieve influence and persuasion without violating the rules of conversational cooperation.
Researcher: Assistant Lecturer Qaisar Hassan Qasim
Life and Psychological Phenomena in the Poetry of Hani Abu Mustafa
This study attempts to read an important phenomenon among the mystical phenomena in the poetry of Hani Abu Mustafa under the title: Life and Psychological Phenomena in the Poetry of Hani Abu Mustafa. It approaches two prominent phenomena in the poet’s work: withdrawal from life and intense feelings of anxiety and alienation, considering them as emanating from a single mystical spirit whose goal is unity with the sacred divine self. Consequently, this leads to receiving divine emanations, which results in manifestations of God’s power. This is the hope and ultimate goal of the mystic in striving against the self.
Researcher: Abdul Munim Abdul Jabbar Kazem Al-Hasan
Professor Doctor Sabah Abdul Reda Issyoud
Verbal Paradox in the Language of the Daily Poem by Siraj Muhammad
Paradox is considered one of the most important techniques in contemporary poetry, as it presents a contradiction between the apparent and hidden meanings, requiring mental effort to understand it. The poetic text of Siraj Muhammad is rich with paradoxes that evoke surprise. The title of one of his poetry collections relies on paradox, and many of his daily poems are built on verbal paradoxes that provoke sharp sarcasm in the poem. The poet successfully exploited this technique, making it a means to provoke the recipient and convey his philosophy in a beautiful poetic form that carries suggestive connotations, making the language of the daily poem rich in intentions.
Professor Doctor Muhammad Jawad Habib Al-Badrani
Natural Factors Contributing to the Phenomenon of Agricultural Land Erosion in Basrah Governorate
This study was conducted to identify and clarify the impact of natural geographical factors on agricultural lands in Basrah Governorate through an extensive review of previous studies, research, and a field study of the study area. A group of natural geographical factors interacted with each other and with other factors, directly or indirectly, in determining the phenomenon of land erosion in Basrah Governorate. These factors included the geographical location and its clear effects on defining many other geographical characteristics, the geological situation distinctive to the study area and its impact on soil type, and the flat terrain that characterizes most parts of Basrah. Additionally, the climatic characteristics with their various elements placed the study area within the arid and semi-arid region, which has a clear effect on soil properties, along with water resources and natural vegetation. The study results showed that these factors, whether combined at times or acting individually at others, directly and indirectly affected soil characteristics and quality, facilitating the processes of erosion of arable lands, their exposure, reduction of green areas, and a decrease in the number of trees, especially palm trees, which once occupied vast areas of the eastern region of Basrah Governorate.
Assistant Lecturer Ahmed Mahawesh Thareer Al-Khafaji
Professor Doctor taraq Juma Ali Al-Mawla
Trend of Change in the Duration of Jet Streams over Iraq for the Period 1980-2024
This research studies the jet streams over Iraq (the subpolar jet stream and the subtropical jet stream) by analyzing weather maps at the 300 and 200 millibar levels and the nighttime observation (0z) for the periods (1980-1991), (1991-2002), (2002-2013), and (2013-2024) during the months from October to May, which are the rainy months in Iraq. The study calculates the amount of change to determine the trend of change, whether positive (increasing) or negative (decreasing). The results showed a decreasing trend for the subpolar jet stream and an increasing trend for the subtropical jet stream across all study regions and months. The highest duration of the subpolar jet stream was recorded in the northern region in January, with 20.5 days, while the highest duration of the subtropical jet stream was recorded in the southern region in May, with 12.4 days.
Researcher: Zahraa Karim Jassim Al-Saadi
Professor Doctor Kazem Abdul Wahab Hassan Al-Asadi
Spatial Analysis of the Reality of Informal Housing in Abu Al-Khasib City
The problem of informal housing has increased and become more widespread after the absence of laws and penalties preventing such random settlements, especially after the American occupation in 2003. The existence of such settlements within the city was also encouraged by the presence of unused spaces between neighborhoods designated by the state for service use. This issue is not limited to Abu Al-Khasib city but extends to most cities in Iraq, becoming a burden on the urban fabric and negatively affecting the city’s infrastructure. Abu Al-Khasib city includes 36 residential neighborhoods, most of which are characterized by the spread of informal housing. There are 692 informal housing units, some of which are spread on the outskirts of the city, while others have penetrated the middle of residential neighborhoods. The research aims to identify informal settlements, their classifications, patterns, and the spatial distribution variation of informal housing and their concentration locations in the master plan of Abu Al-Khasib city. The study also addresses the variation in levels of informal housing from year to year.
Assistant Professor Doctor Mohammed Khudair Salman Al-Ali
The Impact of Concentrations of Some Heavy Elements in the Blood of Children under Fifteen in Basrah Governorate and Their Incidence of Cancerous Diseases
The study is based on analyzing the spatiotemporal pattern of children under fifteen years old diagnosed with cancerous diseases in Basrah Governorate during the period 2010–2023, to identify the geographical distribution of cases and determine the concentrations of elements in the blood. The study relied on measuring concentrations of some heavy elements in children’s blood and clarifying their effects, contributing to providing a comprehensive picture of the number of cases and deaths in the study area and the impact of environmental pollution on the spread of diseases among children. The variation in concentrations of some heavy elements indicates concentration in large districts such as Basrah and Al-Zubair, where pollution rates are higher, as these districts accounted for the highest spatial values of some elements.
Researcher: Farah Falah Abdul Razzaq Al-Atabi
Professor Doctor Ali Nasser Abdullah Al-Sarraifi
The Concept of Art within the Expression of the Visual Writing Text of the Theater Director
The theatrical performance is characterized by the multiplicity of its foundations and artistic components, spanning artistic and aesthetic activities as well as other human activities, through its employment of a large number of skills and elements with diverse artistic, aesthetic, and cognitive values. The primary task of the theater director lies in his high ability to gather, arrange, and coordinate these foundations, transforming them from their static state on the pages of the theatrical text into a visual and auditory form of the theatrical performance discourse, through writing the performance text according to his artistic vision and aesthetic proposals. This is a new transformation process that can be called the writing of the theatrical performance text. The director may rely on a theatrical text by another author and then rewrite it according to his directorial vision to become the performance text. Alternatively, the director may write the theatrical text himself and implement his directorial vision through it. Therefore, the researcher found in this topic approaches through which a scientific study can be written to reach valuable results and conclusions. This study is titled The Concept of Art within the Expression of the Visual Writing Text of the Theater Director and consists of four chapters. The first chapter includes the methodological framework, presenting the research problem, its necessity, importance, and the research objective, which is to define the concept of art and the foundations of expression for writing the theatrical performance text. The second chapter comprises the theoretical framework with two sections: the first section discusses the concept of art within the expression of the visual writing text in philosophical thought, and the second section addresses the artistic and aesthetic expression of the performance text in the visions of the theater director. The researcher reached a set of results and conclusions, the most important of which are: The harmony between the dramatic structure of the theatrical text and the directorial vision by the author/director achieves a directorial writing of a theatrical performance text with intellectual, artistic, and aesthetic dimensions. The movements and artistic formations of the group of actors interact in building a dramatic image of the performance text consistent with the aesthetic data of the performance, based on textual foundations executed in a visual style that produces the final image of the performance text.
Researcher: Doaa Ali Abdul Hussein Al-Hamdani
Professor Doctor Hazem Abdul Majid Ismail
Manifestations of Contempt in Contemporary Visual Art
The research titled Manifestations of Contempt in Contemporary Visual Art: An Analytical Study interprets the manifestations of contempt in contemporary artworks. The study consists of four chapters structured as follows: The first chapter includes the general framework of the research, where the researcher defined the research problem with the question: "What are the manifestations of contempt in contemporary visual art?" The importance and necessity of the study were also identified. The study aims to shed light on the manifestations of contempt in contemporary visual art. The spatial scope covers countries worldwide, while the temporal scope extends from 2014 to 2024, focusing on contemporary visual artworks produced and exhibited globally. The second chapter contains three sections: the first section defines the concept of contempt, the second discusses the causes of contempt, and the third addresses contempt in contemporary visual art. The third chapter covers the research procedures, where the research community consisted of 30 artworks, and 3 models were selected for analysis. The researcher used the descriptive-analytical method to analyze the samples. The fourth chapter presents the research results and conclusions. Key findings include: Multiple forms of contempt appeared in various fields, including politics, society, and religion, reflecting the diversity of methods by which human values are violated. The subjects and materials used by contemporary visual artists to express rejection of contempt varied, presenting works with strong messages through innovative methods. Important conclusions of the research: Contempt is a prominent social problem and a significant theme influencing artistic expression. Contemporary visual artists reflect political and social crises in their works, using their art to express the suffering of individuals and groups. The research concludes with recommendations, proposals, and references.
Professor Doctor Ali Sharif Jabr Al-Sarraifi