Free event, book here.

For the past two decades (since 2003), Iraqis have grappled with multiple forms of trauma stemming from war, violence, and displacement. Many of these narratives were overshadowed as they faded from media attention.

Aiming to map, trace, and recount the spatial resilience of those who resisted various waves of violence over the years, Sana Murrani embarked on a profoundly personal journey, engaging in numerous conversations and interviews with Iraqis both in their homeland and in the diaspora. Her aim was to explore people's spatial lived and felt experiences, capturing the nuances of trauma as they manifest in place-making practices.

Through her research project, "Ruptured Domesticity," and a forthcoming book by Bloomsbury (2024) titled "Rupturing Architecture: Spatial Practices of Refuge in Response to War and Violence in Iraq, 2003-2023," participants in this workshop will experience a ceremony of immersive spatial unpacking of trauma geographies using maps, ruptured pop-up books, and storytelling. These powerful narratives highlight the diverse ways individuals grapple with the shadows of violence, showcasing their agency as they carve out, adapt, and redefine places of refuge across various spatial scales. Through a detailed analysis of shared Iraqi recollections, Murrani identified common themes, which are visually represented through maps. These maps not only serve as tangible reflections of their collective memories, but the act of mapping itself also became a tool—a method to instigate and reshape new conversations in the field of spatial justice.

Image: Dr Sana Murrani