Search by year: 2017

Bi-Monthly Humanitarian Updates on Syria

Alasdair Gordon Gibson Oct 4, 2017     New links for the CSS Humanitarian website: 1 – Situation Report NE Syria 2 – Call for protection of civilians #HumanitarianSyria

Syria: Divided Soccer Fans & A Deeply Divided Nation

Ola Rifai Oct 18, 2017     Ostensibly, soccer is the most watched sport in the world and the World Cup denotes a global event that to a large extent evokes identity politics. Last week, Gerard Pique the prominent…

The Escalation of ‘De-escalation Zones’ Policy

Ola Rifai – University of St Andrews Sep 6, 2017 “Syria pulses with life” was the motto for Damascus International Fair which was held in Damascus (August 17 – 26). This annual trade fair, established in the…

Putin’s Middle East Strategy

Will Todman Sep 13, 2017     The Russian military announced this week that, in conjunction with the Syrian army, it has liberated 85 percent of Syrian territory from militants. There is no doubt that Putin’s decision…

Bi-Monthly Humanitarian Updates on Syria

Alasdair Gordon Gibson Aug 2, 2017 Here is a report looking at some of the gendered vulnerabilities faced by Syrians in the current conflict which students and scholars at CSS might find interesting to read. Here is…

The Two Syrias and the Shrinking Grey Category

Ola Rifai – University of St Andrews Aug 9, 2017     On a hot July night, Aleppo icon Shadi Jameel performed his legendary songs inside Aleppo Citadel while thousands of Aleppoians were dancing and waving Syrian flags.…

Syria’s Fading Political Opposition

Will Todman Aug 16, 2017 When a senior Syrian opposition figure held a private meeting with a group of Middle East experts and policy makers in Washington, D.C. earlier this month, he felt the need to devote half of…

The Dangers of Going Home

Will Todman Jul 19, 2017 The turn of the diplomatic tide in Syria now seems irreversible. “During this round, the opposition never once demanded the immediate resignation of President Bashar al-Assad and the legitimate…

Trump Stumbles Towards Conflict with Iran

Will Todman Jun 14, 2017 As President Trump prepared to deliver the speech in Saudi Arabia that would blame Iran for “so much instability in the region,” he may not have fully appreciated the danger Iran’s proxies…