Basra studies journal

The topic of mythological formation examines the ways in which myth manifests itself in literary and cultural discourse as a symbolic system that reflects both ancient and modern human consciousness of the world, establishing cosmological visions that transcend immediate reality. Mythological formation appears through the invocation of gods, heroes, and supernatural beings, as well as through the re-creation of rituals, symbols, and foundational myths within new narrative and poetic structures. It Is also evident in the use of cyclical time, the conflict between forces of good and evil, and the pursuit of immortality or absolute knowledge. Mythological formation is not limited to the literal transmission of myth; rather, it involves its reinterpretation and deconstruction in accordance with the intellectual and aesthetic vision of the text. Thus, myth becomes an effective tool for constructing meaning, deepening symbolic dimensions, and linking individual experience with collective and cultural memory.

This research examines music as an effective educational tool for developing linguistic and verbal skills among first-grade primary school pupils, based on the importance of early education in building a sound linguistic foundation. The first chapter presents the methodological framework of the study, addressing the research problem, objectives, significance, limitations, and definitions of key terms. The second chapter is devoted to the theoretical framework and includes two sections: the first, Foundations of Employing Music in Early Education, and the second, The Role of Educational Music in Developing Linguistic and Verbal Skills among Primary School Pupils. The third chapter constitutes the analytical framework, adopting the content analysis method to examine applied, musically composed models from first-grade reading texts using simplified melodic and rhythmic structures. The fourth chapter is dedicated to presenting the results, conclusions, recommendations, and proposals, which confirm the effectiveness of music in improving pronunciation, verbal fluency, and the speed of reading acquisition.

Discourse in Ibn Jinnī revolves around multiple forms of subjectivity, which the author presents within the context of linguistic argumentation in his book Al-Khaṣāʾiṣ, in the chapter entitled “On the Convergence of Meanings Despite the Diversity of Origins and Forms.” This is achieved through various linguistic techniques, the study being limited to one of these discourse techniques, namely the principle of subjectivity, which he embeds in certain morphological forms that he employs in his discourse.

This Research analyzes the Japanese stance on 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, focusing on deconstructing the political, strategic, and legal factors that shaped this position at both the official and popular levels. It also seeks to highlight the nature of Japan's role in Iraq's post-war reconstruction efforts. The research addresses several key themes, beginning with the determinants of Japan's policy toward Iraq, moving through the reasons for its support of the US-led invasion, and concluding with the Japanese public's stance and the positions of Japanese political parties regarding the war. The study concludes that Japan's decision to support the US-led invasion stemmed from strategic shifts in its foreign policy, as it sought to enhance its international standing and secure its economic interests related to oil. The research also reveals that Japanese public opinion was largely opposed to the war, with 60% to 80% of citizens opposing participation in military operations, reflecting the gap between official and public opinion. With regard to the reconstruction of Iraq, Japan has made substantial financial contributions, exceeding five billion dollars, and has sent Self-Defense Forces to assist in reconstruction efforts, reflecting a shift in its foreign policy towards greater involvement in international affairs.

The history of al-Andalus witnessed the emergence of many scholars who played a significant role in transmitting the Basran cultural heritage to al-Andalus. Biographical sources provide us with the names of those scholars who traveled to the city of Basra in pursuit of knowledge, where they met its most distinguished scholars and teachers—jurists, hadith scholars, linguists, litterateurs, and physicians—and benefited from their knowledge, studying under their guidance. Some of these journeys extended over long periods of time, which helped them become acquainted with many of the prevailing customs, traditions, and social norms there. This led to their integration into Basran society and direct interaction with its inhabitants, allowing these customs to blend with their own social dispositions and become part of their lives and practices. Upon their return to al-Andalus, they transmitted to their people all that they had learned and acquired, including knowledge, scholarly works, customs, traditions, as well as their recorded observations and descriptions of general conditions and events that took place in Basra during their stay.

When U.S. President Bill Clinton took office, his administration adopted a new policy toward Iraq that differed from that of former President George Bush, who had launched a war against Iraq in cooperation with an international and Arab coalition to expel Iraq from Kuwait in 1990. The new U.S. administration concluded that the previous policy was ineffective in dealing with Iraq and instead adopted a strategy of deterrence and containment aimed at eliminating the regime of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, limiting his military capabilities, and preventing him from threatening regional security. In 1997, the U.S. administration implemented this policy through a combination of sanctions and political and military pressure.

Religious factors play a fundamental role in shaping interaction between inhabitants and urban environments, and they have often influenced the emergence and development of many cities. Historically, a close relationship has existed between religious functions and urban growth. Despite the importance of these services, planning efforts related to them have often been below expectations. This study explores the religious services available in Abu Al-Khasib: the land area they occupy, their geographical distribution, and the efficiency of their distribution. It also uncovers any defects in their placement within the city’s residential neighborhoods and examines whether residents feel satisfied with the religious services provided. The study further highlights that religious services in the city played a direct role in its establishment, growth, and the distribution of religious institutions—especially mosques and jama‘ahs—which had a clear and profound influence on the development of other urban functions. The research found that there are mosques and jama‘ahs in the city, and … [the abstract continues].

This study examines the reality of primary education in Imam al-Sadiq district of Basra Governorate for identifying the most prominent challenges facing education there. These challenges reflect the gap between rapid population growth and available infrastructure. The research also assesses the extent to which these educational institutions meet local standards. Furthermore, it focuses on identifying obstacles hindering the educational process in these schools and proposing appropriate solutions in accordance with the standards of the Iraqi Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Planning. The district faces a significant shortage of school buildings, leading to the adoption of double and triple shifts in some schools. Overcrowding is also a major issue, with some classes exceeding 50 students, making effective classroom management and instruction difficult.
The research also addresses the issue of prefabricated schools, which are inadequate and have been used for an extended period as a temporary measure. The reality of education in the district of Imam Al-Sadiq requires serious action from government agencies to increase financial allocations for building new schools, and to transform mud and caravan schools into solid buildings, with the need to provide schools with modern technologies to keep pace with educational development.

This study aims to analyze land cover changes in Habhab Subdistrict, located in Al-Khalis District west of Diyala Governorate, during the period 1994–2024. The analysis was conducted using satellite imagery (Landsat TM, ETM+, OLI, Sentinel-2) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
Land cover was classified into three main categories: Green (agricultural/vegetated), Barren (unused lands), and Built-up (urbanized). The classification was performed using the Maximum Likelihood algorithm for supervised image classification.
Results revealed a continuous decline in green areas from 34.1 km² to 14.5 km² (−57.5%), and a reduction in barren lands from 145.5 km² to 83.4 km² (−42.7%). Meanwhile, built-up areas significantly increased from 17.4 km² to 99.1 km² (+469.5%), reflecting rapid and unregulated urban expansion at the expense of agricultural and open lands.
This study provides accurate spatial data to assist decision-makers in urban planning and environmental protection. It recommends strict regulation of urban sprawl and the rehabilitation of degraded agricultural lands.

Population growth in Basra city has a profound impact on the economic assessment of electricity distribution and consumption. Total electricity consumption increased from 3.87 million megawatt-hours in 2020 to 4.84 million megawatt-hours in 2024, corresponding to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.6%. The household share of consumption also rose from 54.3% to 57.9% of the total demand, reflecting changes in consumption patterns. This growth has occurred alongside pronounced spatial disparities among administrative districts and a persistent financial gap between cost and revenue, with an annual deficit ranging from 241 to 267 billion IQD. This study aims to analyze these dynamics from a geographical, economic, and spatial perspective using official data for the period 2020–2024, emphasizing the influence of population distribution on electricity consumption and proposing practical strategies to reduce energy losses and enhance network efficiency.

This study aims at assessing the quality of tap water access to school buildings located at Qurna City according to the concentration of total dissolved solids (TDS), one of the most important indicators used in recognizing water quality and its suitability for drinking. The study was conducted during two different seasons: the hot season and the cold season of 2023, to ensure coverage of the various weather conditions that may affect water quality. The study based on laboratory testing with a TDS Meter, HANNA HI 8734, of tap water samples collected from 40 school buildings. The results showed that most samples fell within the recommended limits according to Iraqi standards, with a slight increase observed in some locations during the cold season. The study recommends continued periodic monitoring and testing of the quality of tap water supplied to schools, given its direct impact on the health of students and teaching staff.

The electricity sector in southern Iraq represents one of the key pillars of development; however, it faces increasing operational challenges due to the direct impact of climatic factors alongside the continuously growing demand. This study aims to examine the statistical relationship between the main climatic elements—temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed—on one hand, and electricity production in the southern region on the other, during the period 2012–2023. The study relied on official climatic and electricity production data and employed statistical tools, including Pearson correlation and simple and multiple linear regression, to measure the strength and direction of the relationships. The results indicated that increases in temperature and humidity negatively affected generation efficiency in thermal and gas power plants, while wind contributed to improving some generation patterns. The study emphasizes the importance of integrating climatic factors into power plant operation and maintenance plans and exploring technical alternatives to mitigate their adverse effects.

The paper "Self-Awareness and Its Relationship to Achievement Motivation among Students at the College of Education for Girls/ evening studies" aims at the following :
1- Identifying self-awareness among students at the College of Education for Girls/ evening studies..
2- Identifying the achievement motivation among students at the College of Education for Girls/ evening studies.
3- Identifying the relationship between the level of self-awareness and its relationship to achievement motivation among married and unmarried female students at the College of Education for Girls/ evening studies.
The sample of the current research was (100) female students at the College of Education for Girls / evening study. The researchers used the descriptive method. SPSS program for statistical analysis was used by the researchers too for analyzing the results. The results of the current research showed that there was a relationship between self-awareness and achievement motivation among students at the College of Education for Girls/ Evening studies. The sample of the current research has a high level of self-awareness and a high level of achievement motivation.

This study provides insights into linguistic, communicative and mediation activities in the translation process, illuminating the obstacles in the way of translators and providing avenues to overcome such factors. Translation is an intricate process that entails the negotiation of linguistic barriers (vocabulary differences, ambiguity, technical terminology), communicative barriers (cultural nuances, idiomatic expressions, tone and style), and mediation barriers (cultural mediation, contextual understanding, pragmatic mediation). This qualitative study analyzes translated terms and expressions (English-Arabic and Arabic-English). It is based on Wang's (2022) assumption that translation is a multifaceted activity that combines linguistic, communicative, and mediative elements to convey meaning accurately across languages and cultures. The findings of the study suggest that translators need to adopt a multilevel approach, incorporating different strategies like research, cultural adaptation, subject-matter expertise, in order to overcome these barriers and make translations that are accurate, culturally sensitive, and successfully convey the message.

Aspecific Refered Journal Published by the center of Basra Studies &Arab Gulf Basrah University