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From the Editors

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الآن . . . القسم العربي بحلة جديدة

Jadaliyya Launches Photography Page (click here!)

Call for Photos: Become a Contributing Photographer at Jadaliyya

Amidst a Violent Conflict, Syria’s Students Struggle for an Education

Why There Is No Military Solution to the Syrian Conflict

Uncounted and Unacknowledged: Syria's Refugee University Students and Academics in Jordan

New Texts Out Now: Simon Jackson, Diaspora Politics and Developmental Empire: The Syro-Lebanese at the League of Nations

Widespread Middle East Fears that Syrian Violence Will Spread

Syria Monthly Edition on Jadaliyya (April 2013)

by Syria Page Editors

[This is a monthly archive of pieces written by Jadaliyya contributors and editors on Syria. It also includes material published on other platforms that editors deemed pertinent to post as they provide diverse depictions of Syria-related topics. The pieces reflect the level of critical analysis and diversity that Jadaliyya strives for, but the views are solely the ones of their authors. If you are interested in contributing to Jadaliyya, send us your post with your bio ...

Perpetual Recalculation: Getting Syria Wrong Two Years On

by Bassam Haddad

If I had a dollar for every time someone wrote about the “End Game” in Syria during the past eighteen months . . . . Nearly two years into the Syrian uprising, analysts find themselves scrambling for potential scenarios. On the ground, most Syrians are more concerned about ...

The Syrian Uprising: Two Years On

by Syria Page Editors

With no end in sight, the Syrian uprising drags on, pulling Syria into a path of seemingly endemic violence, death, and destruction. Figures of the dead are controversial, but the number 70,000 gains the most circulation. Refugees now number close to a million, and the ...

Syria's Inglorious Basterd

by Audrey Ann Lavallée-Bélanger

On 13 May 2013, Human Rights Watch released a statement attesting to the authenticity of a disturbing video that circulated first on Syrian pro-regime websites and then on social media. In it, a Syrian man cuts open a dead regime soldier’s chest, pulls his heart and lung out, threatens “Alawite dogs” that they will ... Read More »

Too Close for Comfort: Syrians in Lebanon

by Jadaliyya Reports

[The following report was issued by International Crisis Group on 13 May 2013.] Too Close for Comfort: Syrians in Lebanon Executive Summary Syria’s conflict is dragging down its neighbours, none more perilously than Lebanon. Beirut’s official policy of “dissociation” – seeking, by refraining from taking ... Read More »

Syria Media Roundup (May 16)

by Syria Page Editors

[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on Syria and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Syria Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week's roundup to syria@jadaliyya.com by Monday night of every ... Read More »

Death from the Skies: Deliberate and Indiscriminate Air Strikes on Civilians

by Jadaliyya Reports

[The following report was issued by Human Rights Watch on 10 April 2013.] Death from the Skies: Deliberate and Indiscriminate Air Strikes on Civilians Summary Since late July 2012, Syrian government forces have carried out air strikes from fighter jets and helicopters against cities, towns, and ... Read More »

Amidst a Violent Conflict, Syria’s Students Struggle for an Education

by Tadween Editors

[The following article was originally published on Tadween Publishing's blog. For more information on the publishing world as it relates to pedagogy and knowledge production, follow Tadween Publishing on Facebook and Twitter.] In a rare public appearance, Bashar Asad ... Read More »

Why There Is No Military Solution to the Syrian Conflict

by Aslı Ü. Bâli and Aziz Rana

Today, as violence intensifies in Syria, external powers, including the United States, are openly debating direct intervention. Such intervention is justified as serving multiple goals at once: it is a means of securing chemical weapons caches; a mechanism to protect the civilian population; and a necessary measure to ... Read More »

Uncounted and Unacknowledged: Syria's Refugee University Students and Academics in Jordan

by Jadaliyya Reports

[The following report was issued by the University of California Davis Human Rights Initiative and the Institute for International Education's Scholar Rescue Fund.] Uncounted and Unacknowledged: Syria's Refugee University Students and Academics in Jordan The following is a brief preliminary report ... Read More »

Syria Media Roundup (May 9)

by Syria Page Editors

O.I.L. Media Roundup (May 9)

by O.I.L Editors

[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on Occupation, Intervention, and Law and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the O.I.L. Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each biweekly roundup to OIL@jadaliyya.com ... Read More »

New Texts Out Now: Simon Jackson, Diaspora Politics and Developmental Empire: The Syro-Lebanese at the League of Nations

by Simon Jackson

Simon Jackson, “Diaspora Politics and Developmental Empire: The Syro-Lebanese at the League of Nations.” Arab Studies Journal Vol. XXI No. 1 (Spring 2013). Jadaliyya (J): What made you write this article? Simon Jackson (SJ): The article draws on my current book project, provisionally titled Mandatory Development: ... Read More »

Widespread Middle East Fears that Syrian Violence Will Spread

by Jadaliyya Reports

[The following report was issued by the Pew Research Global Attitudes Project on 1 May 2013.] Widespread Middle East Fears that Syrian Violence Will Spread As concern mounts about the Syrian government’s possible use of chemical weapons against its own people, publics in the Middle East – especially the ... Read More »

New Addition to the Syrian Islamic Front

by Aron Lund

The Haqq Battalions Gathering, a militant group in the Hama province,announced in mid-April 2013 that they are joining the Syrian Islamic Front(SIF). This is the first time since the SIF’s creation in December 2012 that an independent outside organization of any consequence decides to join the front. ... Read More »

Syria Monthly Edition on Jadaliyya (April 2013)

by Syria Page Editors

Month-by-Month Summary of Developments in Syria (Updated)

by Jadaliyya Reports

[The following monthly summaries on developments in Syria were compiled and published by the International Crisis Group (ICG). Jadaliyya Reports will update this post each month as subsequent monthly summaries are issued.] April 2013 Opposition further consolidated foothold in south with seizure of ... Read More »

Beyond the Banality of Evil: The Challenge of Professional Photography in Syria

by Line Zouhour

“You gave me mud and I turned it into gold.” - Charles Baudelaire This year, photographs on Syria have swept the Pulitzer prize. Five Associated Press (AP) photographers, Rodrigo Abd, Manu Brabo, Narciso Contreras, Khalil Hamra and Muhammed Muheisen have been awarded the 2013 Pulitzer Prize in breaking ... Read More »

Blurring the Borders: Syrian Spillover Risks for Turkey

by Jadaliyya Reports

[The following report was issued by International Crisis Group on 30 April 2013.] Blurring the Borders: Syrian Spillover Risks for Turkey Executive Summary Turkey has struggled to find the right response to the Syrian civil war, which has brought shellfire, bombs, militias, refugees, sectarian tensions, ... Read More »

Syria Media Roundup (May 2)

by Syria Page Editors

Aid Inside Syria: Too Little, But Not Too Late

by Jadaliyya Reports

[The following report was issued by Refugees International on 24 April 2013.] Aid Inside Syria: Too Little, But Not Too Late Two years after the Syrian revolution began, there is much wider recognition of the dire humanitarian needs inside the country, and support for expanding cross-border aid activities is ... Read More »

قراءة في الحراك السياسي في الجولان المحتل

by Munir Fakhereldin منير فخرالدين

البعد الثقافي-المثالي للثورة: قراءة في الحراك السياسي في الجولان المحتل مادة اثنوغرافية تمهيدية: "إذا كانت رجولتك مشروطة بغشاء بكارتي فهي حتما معدومة بزواله (الجولان المباع/المحتل 24-8-2012)"، هكذا رفعت الناشطات يافطة في تجمع أسبوعي تضامني في مجدل شمس، لنصرة الثورة السورية. انتشرت الصورة على ... Read More »

مَن يُحاسِب؟ ومَن يُحاسِب مَن؟

by Fawwaz Traboulsi فواز طرابلسي

لأول مرة في تاريخ العالم العربي الحديث نجحت انتفاضات شعبية سلمية في إطلاق مسارات أفضت إلى تنحي أربعة رؤساء دولة عن الحكم. ولأول مرة في التاريخ ذاته، أحيل هؤلاء الرؤساء إلى المحاكمة، وجاهياً أو غيابياً، بتهم تتعلق بالأمر بالقتل والتعذيب والفساد ونهب الأموال العامة. والآن تلوح مؤشرات إلى أن هذه المكاسب ... Read More »

"صادق جلال العظم يحسم أمره وينتقل إلى التنظير العلني للسُّنة ولفكر "الإسلام السياسي البزنسي

by Youssef Hijazi يوسف حجازي

صادق جلال العظم يحسم أمره وينتقل إلى التنظير العلني للسُّنة ولفكر "الإسلام السياسي البزنسي" ألقى صادق جلال العظم في 8 آذار/مارس 2012 محاضرة في برلين ضمن ندوة نظمتها مؤسسة ابن رشد تحت عنوان "العلمانية والمسألة الدينية، تركيا نموذجًا" تحدث فيها العظم عن إيجابيات التجربة التركية وعن تفاصيل ... Read More »

تسجيل "بروحك تحمي الياسمين"، بدقائقه الأربع عشرة، خلاصة أخرى لفترة حكم الأسد الثاني، وارث الكرسي والذعر. لم يسهُ المخرج الذي تعمد البطء في التصوير، إذ اختيرت الموسيقى الكلاسيكية، الهوليودية الاستخدام في سائر المشاهد، مثلما كانت سمفونيات ماهلر في تأبين الأسد الأول تخفي ضحالة الكلمات المتبادلة بين ... Read More »

Palestinian Refugees from Syria in Lebanon

by Jadaliyya Reports

[The following report was issued by American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA) in April 2013.] Palestinian Refugees from Syria in Lebanon A Vulnerable Community Following their expulsion from Palestine in 1948, many Palestinian intellectuals, businessmen, and craftspeople fled to Syria and ... Read More »

Syria Media Roundup (April 11)

by Syria Page Editors

The Alawite Dilemma in Homs

by Aziz Nakkash

Syria's Alawites are often portrayed as a monolithic religious community which has unconditionally and unwavering supported the Syrian regime through the crisis which has shaken the country since March 2011. However, very little attention has been paid to the community’s diversity and to reasons for its support of the ... Read More »

Social Media Bouquet from Syria

by Jadaliyya Reports

[This is part of a collection of multi-media items that have circulated on Syrian social media networks over the past two years of the uprising. The collection does not necessarily reflect the views of Jadaliyya, but represents salient themes and recurring motifs.] Point Zero On 26 September 2012, an explosion ... Read More »

بدرخان علي: "الانتخابات الحرّة" ليست شيئاً عظيماً، بعد خراب البلد

by Muhammad Dibo محمد ديبو

‫يأخذنا الباحث الكردي السوري بدرخان علي في هذه المقابلة في جولة نقدية حول الثورة السورية ودروبها المتشعبة، خصوصاً في المناطق ذات الأغلبية الكردية، التي تقع تحت سيطرة أحزاب كردية متعددة، تتضارب في المصالح والأهداف. ويتطرق إلى طبيعة العلاقة التي تربط حزب الإتحاد الديمقراطي PYD بالنظام السوري وبحزب العمال الكردستاني ... Read More »

Syria Media Roundup (April 4)

by Syria Page Editors

Syrian Population Regression

Population: ~ 22.5 Million

2011: 5,800+ (killed)

2012: 60,000+ (killed) and 500,000+ (external refugees)

2013: 70,000+ (killed) and 1,000,000+ (external refugees)

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Syria Map and Stats

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Population: 22,517,750
GDP: $107.4 billion
Unemployment: 8.3%; Youth Employment (ages 15-24): 19.1%
Internet Users: 4.469 million
Exchange Rate: ~ 98.00 Syrian pounds per US dollar
GDP Growth Rate: 3.2%
Military Expenditures: 5.9% of GDP (World Rank: 10)
Health Expenditures: 2.9% of GDP (World Rank: 180)
Population Growth Rate: 0.913%
Age Structure: 0-14 years: 35.2%; 15-64 years: 61%; 65 years and over: 3.8%
Literacy: 79.6%
Religious Demographics: Sunni Muslim 74%; other Muslim (includes Alawite, Druze) 16%; Christian (various denominations) 10%
Ethnic Demographics: Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7%