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The plight of the Marsh Arabs, an environmental and human rights crisis: an application of complexity theory
1College of Nursing, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA. newmansu@musc.edu
Abstract:
Saddam Hussein's calculated destruction of the marshes of southern Iraq had an overwhelming impact on the marsh ecosystem, the physical environment, and its inhabitants. Hussein succeeded in disrupting the 5000-year-old culture of the Marsh Arabs, severely affecting the health and well-being of this unique culture. Complexity science provides a foundation that supports an appreciation of the effects that changes in environment and climate have on health. Application of a complexity model provides guidance for understanding the intricate networks of connectivity among the components of the ecological system of the marshes of Southern Iraq that is necessary for restoration efforts.
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