On 8 December 2024, the Assad family regime collapsed in Syria. This report presents a central hypothesis: the collapse does not merely create a power vacuum but resurrects suppressed social structures and primary identities, tribal, sectarian, and regional, that were kept dormant under an iron security grip but never truly disappeared.
Thankfully, the immediate threat of the recent wildfires has subsided. Now, as the smoke clears, the true challenges facing our nation are laid bare. The government's responsibilities must shift from immediate crisis management to the complex, long-term task of recovery and building resilience.
Executive Summary Syria faces a devastating “polycrisis.” The growing impacts of climate change are deeply connected to years of poor governance, a brutal conflict lasting over a decade, and a severe economic collapse. This report argues these are not separate problems. Instead, they are part of a single, widespread failure. Environmental damage has both driven
Executive Summary Introduction Syria is at a crucial point. It faces the huge task of rebuilding after over a decade of conflict and the severe earthquakes of 2023. The country’s buildings and infrastructure have been badly damaged. Old problems in building practices and a lack of proper oversight have become very clear. This report reviews
Executive Summary Syria faces a core problem: extreme division. This division stops any real talks or understanding. People are forced to pick sides, simplifying a complex situation into limited choices. You are either with the government or against it, with Assad or ISIS, a loyalist or a traitor, opposition or ‘shabeeh’, a believer or an
Executive Summary The new government in post-Assad Syria faces a crucial moment. Instead of acting like a mature government, a worrying pattern has appeared. Their approach to rule is reactive, almost childish, like a brutal militia rather than a proper state. This “eye for an eye” thinking, marked by quick reactions and using force, is
Dismantling the deep-rooted corruption within the Assad regime is clear. The Syrian public sector, full of inefficiency and “ghost employees,” is a prime example. This systemic corruption has drained public funds for decades. While Assad’s fall offers a golden chance to fix this, the approach to public sector reform, especially regarding layoffs, needs careful thought.
In our lives, hardship and pain are unavoidable. When we face our own suffering or see others’ pain, we can easily fall into what sociologist Brené Brown calls “comparative suffering.” This is the tendency to rank pain. We believe our suffering is either “more” or “less” significant than someone else’s. We might downplay our own
How Shared Leadership Can Rebuild Syria The tragic sinking of the cargo ship El Faro in 2015 offers a powerful warning. This disaster, caused by rigid top-down leadership, extends far beyond the maritime world. In his book “Leadership is Language,” David Marquet uses this incident to show how well-meaning leaders, if they stick to traditional