Investigating the Social Factors Affecting the Tendency towards Democratic Values among the Citizens of Vasit Province، Iraq

Document Type : Article extracted from thesis

Authors

Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamadan, Iran

Abstract
Tribal culture and affiliations play a significant role in political decision-making and political actions in Iraq, often overshadowing and marginalizing democratic values. This study aims to examine the social, cultural, and political factors influencing the inclination toward democratic values ​​among citizens of Iraq's Wasit Governorate. It is an applied, descriptive-analytical study conducted within a quantitative paradigm using a survey method. The statistical population comprises all citizens of Wasit Governorate, totaling 1,415,034 individuals. The sample size was estimated at 600 people using Cochran's formula. Data collection was carried out using a researcher-designed questionnaire based on the study's theoretical framework. The questionnaire's face validity was confirmed by expert professors and specialists, and its reliability was verified using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 26 and LISREL 9 software. The findings indicate a correlation between social, cultural, and political factors and the inclination toward democratic values ​​among Wasit citizens; specific factors showed varying degrees of influence: "media literacy" (16.4%), "internet literacy" (18.2%), "social capital" (12.1%), "urbanization" (14.3%), and "cultural capital" (14.9%). Employment in the industrial sector (with an impact of 10.1%), employment in the service sector (15%), and participation in civil society organizations (16.1%) have positively influenced the inclination toward democratic values ​​among citizens of Wasit Province.

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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 04 October 2026

  • Receive Date 23 July 2026
  • Revise Date 28 August 2026
  • Accept Date 02 October 2026
  • First Publish Date 04 October 2026
  • Publish Date 04 October 2026