Diverse socio-spatial practices in a militarized public space: The case of Abu Nuwas Street in Baghdad

Post-invasion Baghdad has undergone an excessive militarization of its urban spaces which have assumed sectarian expressions. Abu Nuwas Street is one of the few remaining open public spaces along the Tigris with a symbolic significance for Baghdadis. The street includes facilities with significant political visibility and, thus, potential targets for terrorist attacks. The walled and heavily secured state quarters, known as the Green Zone, are just across the river. The street, therefore, has witnessed excessive deployment of security measures since its reopening and renovation in 2007 as a result of the ‘surge’ military strategy under the then commanding general of the occupation forces David Petraeus. This article is an attempt to understand how the effects of militarization in the open public spaces of Abu Nuwas Street have affected socio-spatial practices. It documents an important public space in a city rarely explored in contemporary urban studies. My findings reveal that although security measures drastically decreased socio-spatial practices along Abu-Nuwas street, seeds of a vibrant and diverse public space can be found in the adjacent parks.