Syria from Reform to Revolt: Volume 1: Political Economy and

Syria from Reform to Revolt: Volume 1: Political Economy and International Relations (Modern Intellectual and Political History of the Middle East)

When Bashar al-Asad smoothly assumed power in July 2000, just seven days after the death of his father, observers were divided on what this would mean for the countryâ€™s foreign and domestic politics. On the one hand, it seemed everything would stay the same: an Asad on top of a political system controlled by secret services and Baathist one-party rule. On the other hand, it looked like everything would be different: a young president with exposure to Western education who, in his inaugural speech, emphasized his determination to modernize Syria.
This volume explores the ways in which Asadâ€™s domestic and foreign policy strategies during his first decade in power safeguarded his rule and adapted Syria to the age of globalization. The volumeâ€™s contributors examine multiple aspects of Asadâ€™s rule in the 2000s, from power consolidation within the party and control of the opposition to economic reform, co-opting new private charities, and coping with Iraqi refugees. The Syrian regime temporarily succeeded in reproducing its power and legitimacy, in reconstructing its social base, and in managing regional and international challenges. At the same time, contributors clearly detail the shortcomings, inconsistencies, and risks these policies entailed, illustrating why Syriaâ€™s tenuous stability came to an abrupt end during the Arab Spring of 2011. This volume presents the work of an international group of scholars from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds. Based on extensive fieldwork and on intimate knowledge of a country whose dynamics often seem complicated and obscure to outside observers, these scholarsâ€™ insightful snapshots of Bashar al-Asadâ€™s decade of authoritarian upgrading provide an indispensable resource for understanding the current crisis and its disastrous consequences.
Country USA
Brand Syracuse University Press
Manufacturer Syracuse University Press
Binding Paperback
ItemPartNumber maps
UnitCount 1
EANs 9780815634294
ReleaseDate 0000-00-00

Country	USA
Brand	Syracuse University Press
Manufacturer	Syracuse University Press
Binding	Paperback
ItemPartNumber	maps
UnitCount	1
EANs	9780815634294
ReleaseDate	0000-00-00

Syria from Reform to Revolt: Volume 1: Political Economy and International Relations (Modern Intellectual and Political History of the Middle East)

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