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Colonial Designs, Arab Dreams, and the Making of the Modern Middle East

02.23.22

H.D. Wright provides an analysis of the European diplomatic engagements that pulled apart existing territories and forced them between the borders of new states, sealing a nearly inevitable destiny of domestic strife.

Syria Needs Cross-Border Aid. Washington Needs Focus.

07.2.21

The war in Syria continues to constitute one of the most complex contexts in the Middle East today, with few realistic policy solutions available to end the conflict. That said, the upcoming July 10 debate over the renewal of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2533 (UNSCR 2533) concerning cross-border humanitarian aid marks a flashpoint that […]

The Effects of the Travel Ban on Refugee Resettlement in Jordan

11.5.19

With the decreased opportunity for resettlement, refugees often take risks—either returning to unsafe conditions in their country of origin or even rejecting resettlement to the United States because of concerns about Islamophobia.

Abandoning Syria

10.28.19

In an attempt to create a “humanitarian” zone, another humanitarian tragedy is being carried out.

“Erdoğan the Good” or “Erdoğan the Bad?” A conversation with Soner Çağaptay on US-Turkey relations following US withdrawal from Syria

10.25.19

Editor-in-Chief Reilly Barry sits down with US-Turkey relations expert Soner Çağaptay to discuss what is important to keep in mind in the bilateral context following major changing events in Syria and renewed US dialogue on the path ahead for the alliance, Turkey’s role in NATO, and the lasting persona of Erdoğan affecting the relationship.

When the Dictator Wins: How Assad Is Using Reconstruction to Strengthen His Grip on Syria

08.20.19

BY ANNA MYSLIWIEC   After nearly eight years and immense human suffering, the Bashar al-Assad regime is nearing victory in Syria. Aleppo City, Homs, and Rif Damascus—once strongholds of the opposition—have fallen to government forces. President Assad, who in the course of the conflict has employed chemical weapons and indiscriminate violence against Syrians, has now […]

Raed Fares stands with Kafranbel residents holding banner

In Memoriam: Raed Fares and the banners of Kafranbel

12.13.18

Raed Fares was killed on November 23rd, but his work as a citizen journalist and activist lives on in the people he taught and empowered. Contributing writer Oula Alrifai, a Damascus-native and activist herself, remembers Raed.

Advocacy and Social Movements
U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Timothy R. Koster

What’s in a deal anyway: Idlib DMZ violations harm peace process

11.21.18

The Idlib de-militarized zone (DMZ) deal is a powerful tool for advancing peace, but only if Turkey and Russia commit the resources to properly enforce it. The implementation of the Idlib DMZ holds powerful consequences for the ongoing Syrian constitutional committee and the broader peace process.

Calling the chemical weapons bluff in Syria

04.2.18

Although fighters have been offered the chance to leave eastern Ghouta, as in Aleppo, there is no longer a clear safe haven to which they could flee. Combined with the regime’s systematic denial of humanitarian aid, the conditions there have become increasingly unlivable as the death toll continues to climb.

Fractured but not forgotten: remembering the hopeful roots of the Syrian conflict

11.16.17

On November 10, panelists at the Arab Conference at Harvard assessed the history and path forward for the Syrian conflict.

Advocacy and Social Movements

How foreign aid undermines good rebellions in Syria

10.13.17

Despite the international community’s efforts to shape governance in Syria, moderate opposition groups have failed to gain a foothold in the country’s political sphere. This is largely related to the international community’s strategy in Syria, which has shifted from demanding the departure of Bashar al-Assad to providing humanitarian assistance and countering the Islamic State. As part of this shift, the international community has emphasized the promotion of a “good” rebellion and governance training for rebel groups in Syria.

International Relations and Security
Kara Tepe Refugee Camp

Searching for Dignity and Work in Kara Tepe Refugee Camp

07.13.17

BY WEN HOE If you visited Kara Tepe on a Saturday night, you might not guess it is a refugee camp. The main hall bursts with music, men and women dance in white pants and colorful robes, and teens tussle in a three-on-three soccer match outside. A cool breeze carries the day’s heat away from […]

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