Conf/Prog - Syria: Moving Beyond the Stalemate, 1-3 July 2015, St. Andrews, UK

Publish Date: Jun 05, 2015

Event Dates: from Jul 01, 2015 12:00 to Jul 03, 2015 12:00

The conference aims at attracting scholars at all career levels, including post-graduate students, from a broad range of disciplines. Original research based on empirical data and/or new theoretical approaches are encouraged. Contributions by Syrian scholars are especially welcome. Papers may cover a variety of topics and are not confined to the following suggestions:

  • The nature of the Syrian war: actors, identities and interests
  • The Silent and Marginalized voices: Is there a ‘third force/way”?
  • The Islamist opposition and the evolution of Syrian Islam amidst the conflict
  • Regime survival
  • State collapse, violence and the disappearance of borders: the rise of ISIS, sectarian transnationalism, and international intervention.
  • The future of Syria: Is a diplomatic solution viable? Is an Iranian-Saudi détente over Syria possible? Is a power-sharing formula (or consociational democracy) possible?

Outstanding contributions will be considered for publication in the Syrian Studies Journal and for inclusion in an edited volume to be published by Routledge.

The international conference will bring together in one place the largest and most diverse concentration of scholars of Syria. It will feature papers by some 25 based on innovative and cutting edge research. The Roundtable discussions feature the biggest names in the field of Syrian studies, diplomacy and conflict resolution. Roundtable participants David Lesch, Steven Heydeman, Samir Aita, Michael Williams and Carsten Wieland have all been intimately involved in diplomacy, track II and conflict resolution projects regarding Syria. I William Zartman is the world’s most famous expert on conflict resolution in failed states. Special guests, Nicholas Van Dam and Ibrahim Hamidi, will be featured participants in the workshops. The workshops will give all conference attendees a chance to interact with these scholars and practitioners in debating the way forward in the Syrian crisis. The registration fee includes three nights accommodation, plus many meals, teas and coffee, etc. 

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION EXTENDED TO 8 JUNE 2015

Early Bird Fee Extended

Fees that will be charged for the full attendance at the conference include:

Accommodation from Tuesday 30th June 2015 to departure on Friday 3rd July 2015.  Coffees, teas and lunches on Conference Days.

Welcome Reception on Tuesday evening at 1900hrs in The New Arts Building Theatre Foyer

Dinner on Wednesday evening at 1900hrs in Agnes Blackadder Residence.

EXTENDED - Early Bird Fees - 26 February  - 8 June 2015
Early Bird Full Conference Fee @ £300.00 (including accommodation)
Student - Early Bird Full Conference Fee @ £200.00 (including accommodation)
Early Bird Day Delegate Fee @ £80.00 (per Day) (not including accommodation)
Student Early Bird Day Delegate Fee @ £50.00 (per Day) (not including accommodation)

Standard Fees  (or before if conference meets capacity)
Standard Full Conference Fee @ £345.00 (including accommodation)
Student - Full Conference Fee @ £245.00 (including accommodation)
Standard Day Delegate Fee @ £95.00 (per Day) (not including accommodation)
Student Day Delegate Fee @ £60.00 (per Day) (not including accommodation)

Welcome Reception is complimentary to all delegates and guests.

Additional Charges
Conference Banquet @ £50.00 per person (Thursday 2nd July 2015 @ 1930hrs in Lower College Hall)

Bed & Breakfast for Day Delegates @ £41.00 single occupancy per night (Tuesday & Thursday evenings)

Dinner, Bed & Breakfast for Day Delegates @ £49.00 single occupancy (Wednesday evening ONLY)

Guest/Spouse Charges:

Conference Banquet @ £50.00 per person (Thursday 2nd July 2015 @ 1930hrs in Lower College Hall)

Bed & Breakfast based on sharing a room @ £30.00 supplement (Tuesday 30th June & Thursday 2nd July)

Dinner, Bed & Breakfast based on sharing a room @ £40.00 supplement (Wednesday 1st July ONLY)

Tentative Programme

Tuesday, 30th June

7:00pm            Wine Reception in New Arts Building Theatre Foyer

Wednesday, 1 July

8:30-9:30        Introduction and Welcome

Panel 1 (9:30-11:15)  Regime and Opposition

Ibrahim Al-Marashi, Has the Syrian Civil War Reached a ‘Mutually Hurting Stalemate? - https://www.eventsforce.net/STANDREWS/media/uploaded/EVSTANDREWS/event_37/Ibrahim%20Al-Marashi.pdf

Samer Abboud, Sanctions and Elite Factionalization in Syria - https://www.eventsforce.net/STANDREWS/media/uploaded/EVSTANDREWS/event_37/Samer%20Abboud.pdf

Maria Aurora Sottimano, The Syria Interim Government: a dual legitimacy deficit? - https://www.eventsforce.net/STANDREWS/media/uploaded/EVSTANDREWS/event_37/Aurora%20Sottimano.pdf

Matthieu Rey, Class and client revisited: internal dynamics of the Syrian regime and the outcome of the crisis - https://www.eventsforce.net/STANDREWS/media/uploaded/EVSTANDREWS/event_37/Matthieu%20Rey.pdf

Coffee Break—11:15-11:30

Panel 2 (11:30—1:15)  Regional and International dimensions

Nikolay Kozhanov, Russian Tensions with the West over the Ukraine: Implications for Moscow Foreign Policy on Syria - https://www.eventsforce.net/STANDREWS/media/uploaded/EVSTANDREWS/event_37/Nikolay%20Kozhanov.pdf

Salem B.S. Dandan, The Quds Force in Syria - https://www.eventsforce.net/STANDREWS/media/uploaded/EVSTANDREWS/event_37/Salem%20BS%20Dandan.pdf

Masaki Mizobuchi, Mission Impossible? US Air war against the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq - https://www.eventsforce.net/STANDREWS/media/uploaded/EVSTANDREWS/event_37/Masaki%20Mizobuchi.pdf

Ali A.K.Ali, Political Economy of War - https://www.eventsforce.net/STANDREWS/media/uploaded/EVSTANDREWS/event_37/Ali%20A%20K%20Ali.pdf

Lunch—1:15-2:30

Panel 3 (2:30—4:15): From Secular Protest to Islamist Permutations

Thomas Vladimir Brond, Moving beyond marginalization? Networks of new political subjectivities in Syria and its borderlands - https://www.eventsforce.net/STANDREWS/media/uploaded/EVSTANDREWS/event_37/Thomas%20Vladimir%20Brond.pdf

Moutaz Al-Khedar, A Thematic Analysis of motivational hymns (Nasheeds) by Jihadist Groups in the Syrian Conflict - https://www.eventsforce.net/STANDREWS/media/uploaded/EVSTANDREWS/event_37/Moutaz%20Al-Khedar.pdf

Angela Joya, Islamic Politics in an Age of Globalization: The Syrian Muslim Botherhood’s quest for power in Syria - https://www.eventsforce.net/STANDREWS/media/uploaded/EVSTANDREWS/event_37/Angela%20Joya.pdf

Hanlie Booysen, The Syrian Muslim Brotherhood—Islamic governance and political relevancy - https://www.eventsforce.net/STANDREWS/media/uploaded/EVSTANDREWS/event_37/Hanlie%20Booysen.pdf

Coffee Break—4:15-4:30

Roundtable Discussion: 4:30-5:45: Approaches to Ending the Syrian conflict

Featuring: Steven Heydeman and David Lesch

Commentators: Raymond Hinnebusch, Samir Aita, Thomas Pierret and Ibrahim Hamidi

7:00pm            Dinner in Agnes Blackadder Residence

Thursday 2, July

Panel 1 (9:30-11:15): Marginalized Voices

Ferdinand Arslanian, The Uprising-Skeptic Oppositionists - https://www.eventsforce.net/STANDREWS/media/uploaded/EVSTANDREWS/event_37/Ferdinand%20Arslanian.pdf

Talip Alkhayer, Allawite opposition in Syrian and the rise of ISIS - https://www.eventsforce.net/STANDREWS/media/uploaded/EVSTANDREWS/event_37/Talip%20Alkhayer.pdf

Yutaka Takaoka, Regime survival and People’s Assembly - https://www.eventsforce.net/STANDREWS/media/uploaded/EVSTANDREWS/event_37/Yutaka%20Takaoka.pdf

Coffee Break—11:15-11:30

Panel 2 (11:30—1:15): Sect, Ethnicity, Gender

Karel Asha, A Women’s Revolution: Gender, class and conflict in Syria - https://www.eventsforce.net/STANDREWS/media/uploaded/EVSTANDREWS/event_37/Karel%20Asha%201.pdf

Edith SzantoDepictions of Gender in the Syrian conflict - https://www.eventsforce.net/STANDREWS/media/uploaded/EVSTANDREWS/event_37/Edith%20Szanto.pdf

Feliz Katman, Kurds of Syria: a Sudden Discovery - https://www.eventsforce.net/STANDREWS/media/uploaded/EVSTANDREWS/event_37/Feliz%20Katman%201.pdf

Lunch—1:15-2:30

Panel 3 (2:30—4:15): Refugees and Migrants

Dawn Chatty, The Syrian humanitarian disaster: Understanding refugee rights and aspirations in Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey - https://www.eventsforce.net/STANDREWS/media/uploaded/EVSTANDREWS/event_37/Dawn%20Chatty.pdf

Xu Man, Contesting Displacement: A case study of the Syrian Refugee crisis in Lebanon - https://www.eventsforce.net/STANDREWS/media/uploaded/EVSTANDREWS/event_37/Xu%20Man.pdf

Daria Vorobyeva, Syrian Uprising and Identity change: case study of Syrian Christians in Lebanon - https://www.eventsforce.net/STANDREWS/media/uploaded/EVSTANDREWS/event_37/Daria%20Vorobyeva%201.pdf

Ching-An Chang, The Division of the Syrian Businessmen in Turkey: an investigation of the political and economic behaviours of the Syrian business migrants - https://www.eventsforce.net/STANDREWS/media/uploaded/EVSTANDREWS/event_37/Ching-An%20Chang.pdf

Roundtable Discussion: 4:30-5:45: The Failure of Political Solutions

Featuring remarks on Diplomatic Obstacles: Carsten Wieland, Michael Williams and I William Zartman

Commentators: Dawn Chatty, Salwa Ismail, Eberhard Kienle, Adham Saouli, Omar Imady

7:30pm            Banquet in Lower College Hall

Friday 3, July

Panel 1 (9:30-11:15): Alternative Governance and Voices

Rana Khalaf, Governance without government in Syria: civil society and state-building - https://www.eventsforce.net/STANDREWS/media/uploaded/EVSTANDREWS/event_37/Rana%20Khalaf%202.pdf

Fouad Gehad Marei, Multiple Justices and Contending Legitimacies: Rebel Justice and the Syrian Insurgency - https://www.eventsforce.net/STANDREWS/media/uploaded/EVSTANDREWS/event_37/Fouad%20Gehad%20Marei.pdf

Alexa Firat, Project-ing Citizenship: How a literary journal wants to shape a post-Asad Syria - https://www.eventsforce.net/STANDREWS/media/uploaded/EVSTANDREWS/event_37/Alexa%20Firat.pdf

Joshka Wessels, Voices and Visions of Syrian video activists in Aleppo and Raqqa - https://www.eventsforce.net/STANDREWS/media/uploaded/EVSTANDREWS/event_37/Joshka%20Wessels%201.pdf

Coffee Break—11:15-11:30

Workshops (11:30- 12:45): Moving Beyond the Stalemate

Workshop 1: The Future of Syria’s Political System

Workshop 2: Diplomatic Solutions to the Syrian Crisis

Workshop 3: Social reconciliation and Syrian Refugees

Buffet Lunch: 12:45-2:00

Plenary and Closing: 2:00-3:00

http://syriaconfstandrews2015.co.uk/

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Eligible Countries

International

Host Countries

United Kingdom

Conference Types

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