Conflict & International Politics

Photo #1 by Linda Simon - Photos # 2 and 3 by Katrin Pakizer

Introduction

Conflict and crisis continue to be the double term most consistently associated with the region. A multitude of fault lines today run across the region, springing from unresolved grievances past and present. As flash points continue to erupt, such conflicts radiate out and reach those who once considered themselves safely away over the sea. Accordingly, international efforts and intervention are being stepped up to set things right - but all too often, they get it all wrong. The program Conflict and International Politics is designed to analyze the roots of conflict, encourage constructive engagement with the memory and repercussions of conflict, and inquire into avenues to peaceful and cooperative solutions.

Articles

Analysis

Towards reparation of relations: Lebanon, Syria

May 3, 2013 - The article is focusing on the Syrian- Lebanese relations before and after the revolution, and what could be done to overcome the stereotypical and racist behaviour towards the Syrian people. Haid Haid more»

Blog

A Counter-Atlas for Syria

- May 2, 2013 - By Bente Scheller - First published in German on Heinrich Von Arabien Blog on April 12th, 2013 - Whilst many current publications are occupied with the question of possession of arms in civil populations in the US as well as in Syria, most results show that, nevertheless, the two countries are not mistaken for one another. Here, the view prevails that Syria is not “America’s … problem.” more»

Interview

“Syrian revolutionaries owe nobody an apology”

- In this interview, Traboulsi talks about the situation in Syria and the thorny relationship of Lebanon’s various parties with the Syrian revolution. He also provides an overview of the stance taken by the Left towards the Syrian as well as the Arab revolutions. Interview with Fawwaz Traboulsi by Mohammed Al Attar in Beirut on February 20, 2013. more»

Blog

The Sky above Lebanon

- by Bente Scheller. First published in German on Heinrich Von Arabien blog on 19 March 2013 - Lately, the distinctive contrails of Israeli fighter jets can often be seen in the blue sky. Side by side they fly the coast and by doing so ensure that no one in Lebanon forgets who their neighbours are. more»

Article

A Star for TIME Magazine

- “Cast your vote for the leaders, artists, innovators, icons and heroes that you think are the most influential people in the world”, TIME Magazine urges readers of its online edition. Amongst the 153 nominees: Bashar al-Assad. by Bente Scheller. First published in German on the heinrichvonarabien.boellblog.org on 3 April 2013 more»

Article

Excerpts from a martyr’s journal

- "I had an agreement with Khidr that he write me a daily report and as a consequence his letters are a journal of life that we on the outside never lived, a life lived at a temperature warm enough to revive what is human in us. That is the definition of the revolution that we set up as our figurehead, the meaning for whose sake we once gave so much." Fawaz Al Qaderi - First Published 2/12/2012 on the Dafaaf web portal more»

Article

The impact of the arts on the Syrian revolution

- February 28, 2013 - The arts that emerged during the Syrian revolution are unrelated to the “politically committed art” that so dominates our impressions of the 1970s and 1980s in the Arab world. What has emerged, down alleyways and cramped public squares, is a creativity unburdened by ideology, which treats national issues as a tool to obtain freedom and not self-contained and self-sufficient issues of identity. Elie Abdo - First Published in Maalouma in December 2012 more»

Article

On weapons of mass destruction… On rape in times of madness

- February 26, 2013 - The global race to develop and acquire the latest war technologies has become central to nations’ goals since the end of the nineteenth century. Concurrent to this competition for the most modern implements of violence, parties in conflicts show no hesitance in resorting to one of the oldest – and most primitive – war weapons: rape. In wars, rape has been used as a tool to go beyond the physical and military defeat of the enemy, to subdue a society politically and morally. Perpetrators of such sexual and gender based atrocities on women, and increasingly on men and young male children, continue to be undeterred in spite of the development and states’ ratification of international instruments and conventions aimed at the protection of civilians during armed conflict. Such violations are now being reported from Syria, a country whose people stood up to a dictatorship that has reigned for over four decades. The present article, written by psycho-therapist Dr. Jamal Khalil Sobh, sheds light on the repeated war crime of rapes of women, including the recent tragic incidents in Syria. Jamal Khalil Sobh more»

Analysis

Syrian intellectuals: Suzukis and jet planes

- February 7, 2013 - Since March 15, Syrian culture has been steadily revealing itself to the Syrian people, and with it, its torch bearers: the intellectuals themselves. The moment in Old Damascus, which saw a number of young cultural types gather together to protest, marked the moment that we realized that the Syrian intellectual—whether theorist or observer, politician or writer—must assume his rightful place in the street or at least, keep step with it. Did Syrian Intellects succeeded in fulfilling this task? Nara Mohammed more»

Article

Syria: An alternative reality

- Padre Paolo D’Oglio wrote that, “Rulers only resort to media misinformation when the people begin to emerge—if only superficially—as a social will within the historical process." How is this reflected in Syria today? Amer Abou Hamed - published in Arabic in Maalouma website, September 2012 more»

ANALYSIS

Between a peaceful revolution and a militarized one

- October 25, 2012 - Is it correct to describe the Syrian revolution as “armed” and nothing more? Has the revolution been militarized? What has happened to the revolution’s non-violence? all these questions and more are tackled in this critical analysis. Mohammad Al Attar and Odai Al Zoubi more»

Field visit

Refugees in the desert

- Since its establishment in July 2012, Al-Zaatary refugee camp in Jordan has been controversial. Dr. René Wildangel of Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Palestine/ Jordan visited the camp on October 3rd, 2012 and reported the living conditions and the services provided there and highlighted the reasons behind the anger and desperation the refugees are expressing through riots and protests.

Read the full report here

Dr. René Wildangel

Analysis

The Rise of Belligerent Nihilist Tendencies in Syria

- June 5, 2012 - In the Syrian revolution we witness an increase of both violence and religiosity, in combination with a general withdrawal of trust from the world that is perceived as well aware of the Syrian suffering but inactive. Syrian analyst Yassin Haj Saleh explores the different varieties of nihilism this produces and points to the fact that the rise of nihilism weakens the same social fabric that could help restrain the phenomenon. Yassin al-Hajj Saleh more»

Analisys

Bashar al-Assad‘s “Groundhog Day”

- August 18, 2012 - There has been a lot written on the ‘endgame’ in Syria. In some regards, the situation resembles more “Groundhog Day” than an “Hour Zero”. For 18 months, there has not been a single day during which the Syrian regime has not faced countrywide protests to overthrow it. And there has not been any indication that the President Bashar al-Asad is searching for a solution. Even though President Assad grimly holds on to power, he allows his troops and militias to rampage as if he has already acknowledged that he does not have a chance of staying in power. Bente Scheller more»
TO READ MORE ARTICLES ON CONFLICT & INTERNATIONAL POLITICS, CLICK HERE 

Projects

Online Database

Signs of Conflict

July 24, 2012 -

“Signs of conflict” online database was recently launched with the support of HBS Middle East office. The website is a result of an on-going research since 2003 that examines the deployment of political rhetoric elaborated in visual culture, significant in the critical times of conflict when ideological constructions are materialized and diffused. “Signs of conflict” provides a rich archive of posters produced by the various warring factions, political parties and movements in Lebanon during the civil war (1975-1990).

more»

Events

The Annual Foreign Policy Conference

Syria - the internationalization of a conflict?

On the annual foreign policy conference held in hbs main office in Berlin, one of the panels was dedicated to the situation in Syria and the internationalization of the conflict. Watch the recorded session here
TO VIEW THE FULL LIST OF EVENTS, CLICK HERE 

Publications

EU flag in the Guinness Book of Records 14.04.2009 By European Parliament on Flickr

Policy Paper

What Can the European Union Do in Syria?

May 2, 2013 -

As a follow-up to the closed workshop "The responsibility to protect in Syria - What can the European Union do?" organized by the Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung European Union and Dutch peace organization IKV Pax Christi on 5th of December 2012, this joint policy paper focuses on what could be done by the EU in Syria. Read the full paper (PDF: 11 Pages, 274 KB) here

 

Bente Scheller, Haid Haid and Jan Jaap Oosterzee

PRINT AND ONLINE PUBLICATION

Perspectives #4 November 2012 - Qatar: aspirations and realties

- November 27, 2012 - In the Arab Gulf Region, one political actor, in particular, is becoming more visible, seemingly more engaged in navigating the uncertainties caused by the fast changes emerging in the region and in filling the gaps in this political scene: The state of Qatar. What is the role Qatar is trying to play in the region and is it being translated internally? more»
TO VIEW THE FULL LIST OF PUBLICATIONS, CLICK HERE 
Important Notice!
Heinrich Boll Middle East and North Africa Office, Beirut does not offer scholarships. Please send your applications to the HBS foundation website
Perspectives #3: Syria's Revolution - Society, Power, Ideology
Latest Issue
Perspectives #4 November 2012 - Qatar: aspirations and realties
Dossier: Seasons of Change
Climate, Energy and Resource Politics in the MENA Region

In the midst of turbulent times in the Middle East and North Africa, the State of Qatar is hosting the 18th Conference of the Parties (COP 18) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Doha from November 26 to December 7, 2012. This trilingual webdossier presents analysis and perspectives from a wide range of international and regional experts on how climate change, resource and energy politics relate to political and social change. more»
cartoons and minarets banner picture Dossier Syria's Revolution
Most Read Articles
Interview with Dr. Ali Khalifa Al Kuwari, author of “The People Want Reform… In Qatar, Too”
In the summer of 2012, The People Want Reform… In Qatar, Too was published in Beirut. The book which includes 11 contributions from different Qatari writers and academics was coordinated and edited by Dr. Ali Khalifa Al Kuwari, an academic researcher, writer and thinker. The following is an interview conducted with Dr. Al Kuwari on the background of compiling the book and the demands for reform in Qatar. Interview was conducted by Jenan Amin in October 2012 more»
The Syrian Shabiha and Their State

Yassin al-Haj Saleh, dissects the functioning, motivations, funding and ideology of the Syrian 'shabiha', from their appearance in the 1970s until their reemmergence during the revolution. Saleh shows their central role in maintaining a regime in power that has long lost touch with people’s interests, morality and reality.

By Yassin al-Haj Salih more»
The Syrian Revolution and the Role of Turkey
Turkey is one of the states that is most affected by the Arab revolutions of 2011. Thrown into confusion by the Libyan revolution, the Turkish government then found itself confronted by a popular uprising in Syria. First adopting the role of advisor to its neighbor, its failure to make the Syrian regime enact political reforms conducive to gradual democratic change, soon saw Turkey declare its open support for the Syrian people and their demands. By Bakr Sidki more»
Recommended Links

KAYANI is an independent media project designed and implemented by Syrian activists. It aims at contributing to the creation of a new Syrian civil society through establishing an independent platform for young voices of Syria who use audio-visual media to express their point of views. The main concern of the project is to portray the human-interest stories behind the Syrian uprising through artistic means.

Visit KAYANI's website here
Watch the project's short documentaries "A Tribute to Mehsal Temo" and "Yabroud declares Assad toppled" here

Dawlaty is an initiative launched by young Syrian activists and aiming at promoting the participation and engagement in the state building process in Syria through the development of creative tools like animation films, brochures, posters, graffiti... all materials developed use the Syrian dialect to expand the scope of the project's reach. more   
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