Allred, Madison; Otterstrom, Samuel (Brigham Young University)
Faculty Advisor: Otterstrom, Samuel(Brigham Young University, Family, Home and Social Sciences, Geography)
Over the past 20 years the behavior of dictatorial regimes have been studied in various social science fields, but so far the extension of analysis into the field of Geography has been minimal. I show that not only can Geography shed valuable light onto these issues, but it is essential to incorporate geographical findings into the global discussion of protecting the sanctity of life and promoting peace.
I aim to show how dictators use the geographic principle of memorialism and change the urban and human landscape to build nationalism in fractured states. I have narrowed the scope of my research by using the reign of Saddam Hussein as a case study. He is the perfect focus for this case study because his reign had a definitive beginning and end, his works are relatively well documented and his name is well known in academic communities as well as by the general populus. Since I want my research to make an impact and grab the attention of academia as well as policy makers, choosing a person that held the fascination of the American public for years was critical.
By examining the available data and utilizing GIS, we are able to come to conclusions of Saddam Hussein's behavior and find correlations only observable by mapping and spatially analyzing the data. My research is relevant not only to the field of Geography, but can be useful to decisions on US Foreign Policy. If it can be proven that Saddam Hussein and other similar dictators utilize memorialism, can evidence of memorialism be used as a key indicator in various foreign policy decisions? If dictators use memorialism to build nationalism, can memorialism be used preventatively in fractured states to prevent the rise of potentially bloody dictatorial regimes? The results of my research call for further action and analysis to be taken by academics and subsequent political action based upon their findings.