This course provides a detailed understanding of the Syrian civil war (2011-2025) and its massive repercussions for the Middle East. A lot of what happened in Syria during the previous decades can help understand better the current wars and turmoil shaking the Middle East. The course introduces the formation of the modern Syrian state, the end of the colonial period, the independence and the rise of the Baath regime in the country. It analyzes the nature of the Assad regime and the political situation prior to 2011. It then explores the 2011 protests in the wake of the “Arab Spring” from different perspectives, relying both on secondary and primary sources. It covers the unfolding of the different phases of the conflict, from peaceful protests to a protracted civil war that generated the biggest refugee crisis of the 21st century. It examines how al-Qaeda affiliates appeared and how ISIS repurposed the terms of the conflict to transform part of the country into a so-called “califate” that attracted dozen of thousands of foreing volunteers. The course also deals with the new “struggle for Syria” through the interferences of various regional and international powers like Iran, Israel, Russia, the Gulf countries, the USA and Europe.
The course will aim at bringing students to reflect on the many ways in which the Syrian conflict anticipated on several contemporary issues (Ukraine, digital interference, jihadism, etc.) and how it generated a new geopolitical landscape that carries massive implications for the future of the political equilibrium in the Middle East and Europe at a time when those are in large part redefined by the current wars. The course will thus address the ongoing chance in the geopolitical landscape of the region since the October 7th attacks on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza and Lebanon.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the class, students will have earned solid basis with the following outcomes:
• A nuanced historical understanding of modern Syria, from the end of the Ottoman era to the Assad dynasty.
• The ability to identify key actors in the conflict, both state and non-state, including:
o Their presence in the region before the conflict.
o Their goals and interests in the conflict.
o Their successes and failures in achieving these goals.
o Their relationship with the Syrian regime as of 2025.
• The impact of the war on civilians, including Assad's and ISIS's strategies toward local populations, migration trends and routes, and possibilities for civilian reconstruction.
• A clear understanding of the dynamics within the Syrian civil war and the fall of the regime
• Reasons for the internationalization of the war, including Syria's importance to regional actors and the consequences of the war for the West.
• The Syrian conflict as a key development in contemporary jihadism, focusing on the role of foreign fighters, the consequences of ISIS's defeat, and the remaining jihadist groups in the region as well as the fate of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.
• Future perspectives for the region, including Syria's reintegration into the Arab League, fall of the Assad regime, peace settlements without Western actors (the "Astanaization" of peace processes), and the revival of the conflict since late 2024
Professional Skills
This class will equip students with the following skills, which are directly applicable in professional contexts:
• The ability to read and analyze large corpora of texts on geopolitical matters, synthesize the information, and present it as actionable notes for decision-makers in the public or private sectors.
• The ability to analyze and succinctly present the interests, goals, strategies, tactics, and methods of various stakeholders in a specific region.
• The ability to identify and assess the dynamics of a protracted conflict.
• The ability to list and explain the reasons why regimes and non-state actors instrumentalize humanitarian action and civilian distress during armed conflicts and civil wars.
• An understanding of the role of the economy and access to strategic resources in conflicts.
• The ability to analyze and explain the causes of armed conflicts and social struggles in the MENA region through political, sectarian, historical, and religious lenses.
• The ability to read primary sources and analyze them in relation to secondary sources
• This class will follow the Princeton University's course standards. Meaning, students will be required to participate in discussion on a weekly basis and will have to prepare each class by reading the compulsory readings (approx. 50-80 p. a week). In addition, students will be required to write short weekly response papers (500 to 750 words max) to the week's readings, to be submitted no later than noon on Monday before class. Students will have to do at least one oral presentation on the week's readings over the course of the semester; no written response paper will be required from those presenting.
This class will follow the Princeton University's course standards. Meaning, students will be required to participate in discussion on a weekly basis and will have to prepare each class by reading the compulsory readings (approx. 50-80 p. a week). In addition, students will be required to write short weekly response papers (500 to 750 words max) to the week's readings, to be submitted no later than noon on Monday before class. Students will have to do at least one oral presentation on the week's readings over the course of the semester; no written response paper will be required from those presenting.
• Oral presentation – at least one over the course of the semester (10%)
• Final exam : by the end of the semester (40%).
Academic Freedom: With the aim of advancing and deepening everyone's understanding of the issues addressed in the course, students are urged to speak their minds, exchange with everyone and explore ideas and arguments, engage in civil and respectful – if robust – discussions. No ideas are out of bound and there is no thought or language policing. We expect students to do business in the proper currency of intellectual discourse—a currency consisting of reasons, evidence, and arguments.