Description
This discussion seeks to critically examine the transition of governance in Syria amid the legacies of conflict and revolution, focusing on the enduring tension between centralized authority and alternative visions of political order. One of the primary challenges faced by revolutionary forces was the absence of sustained international solidarity with their transformative goals, particularly their “radical rhetoric” aimed at dismantling deeply entrenched systems of oppression. The lack of transnational support significantly limited the global legitimacy of their efforts, as international public opinion often diverged from the revolution’s aspirations for systemic change.
Today, this challenge resurfaces in the struggles of the emergent governance structure that, although shaped by revolutionary forces, is similarly seeking recognition and acceptance within the existing international system. This raises a pivotal question: does the re-creation of a centralized nation-state offer a viable pathway for restoring internal control and securing international legitimacy, or does it risk Syria’s isolation and a possible relapse into autocracy under a new guise?
Alternatively, could a reimagined model of governance—one that reduces dependency on Western frameworks and fosters solidarity networks within the Umma—offer a sustainable path forward? By empowering civil society, promoting grassroots development, and enhancing political unity among Muslim societies, could such a model serve as a substitute for formal international recognition while reducing the disadvantages of a centralized regime? Or does this approach risk further fragmentation, creating competing centers of authority and putting the state under greater international isolation?
This session will explore the dilemmas of legitimacy and recognition that both the revolutionary discourse and the emergent governance structure face, while also reflecting on the broader role of international systems in either supporting or constraining transformative movements.
Zaid Al-Ali has law degrees from Harvard Law School, the Université de Paris I (Sorbonne), and King’s College London. He started practicing international arbitration in 1999. From 2005 to 2010, he was a legal adviser to the United Nations focusing on constitutional, parliamentary, and judicial reform in Iraq. Since the beginning of 2011, he has been working on constitutional reform throughout the Arab region, particularly in Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Yemen and Sudan. He has published widely on Iraq and on constitutional law.
Dr. Noor Ghazal Aswad is an assistant professor in the department of communication studies at the University of Alabama. She draws from the rhetorical tradition, post-colonial theory, critical theory, social movement theory, and transnational studies. Her work has been published in the Quarterly Journal of Speech, Rhetoric & Public Affairs, Critical Studies in Media Communication, Environmental Communication and Presidential Studies Quarterly, among others.
The discussion and subsequent Q&A session will be moderated by Dr. Usaama Al-Azami, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.
Please join us live on Saturday, January 25, 2025, at 11 AM ET.