Two catalogues: Mesopotamia Commission (1917); Iraq "Chilcot" Inquiry

"More than a simple comparison of these two inquiries’ reports, we seek to unearth the unique methodology of state-led inquiries by analysing archival documents of the process. This project questions how public inquiries were established, who was invited to participate, and which voices were favoured. These questions allow us to understand how political cultures imagine what a ‘proper inquiry’ should look like, amplifying the voices and perspectives of certain individuals over others. Rather than providing an apolitical interpretation of events, inquiries privileged legalistic approaches to responsibility, hierarchising individual experiences and limiting the value of other sources of evidence. Thus, we argue that the inquiry is, in itself, a political act – not simply an extractive exercise – that empowers its non-judicial staff with highly significant decisions about the future of Britain’s self-image and perceived role in the Middle East."