Syria Media Roundup (April 11)

[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on Syria and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Syria Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week's roundup to syria@jadaliyya.com by Monday night of every week.] Regional and International Perspectives   Syria Oil Industry Buckling Under Rebel Gains Syrian Troops Redeployments Raise Concerns Over Golan Heights Security  

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DARS Media Roundup

[This is a bi-weekly roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on Resistance and Subversion in the Arab world and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the DARS Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each bi-weekly roundup to DARS@jadaliyya.com by Sunday night of every second week.] News & Commentary After Victory, Palestinian Village Runs Into A Wall, by Ali Gharib This month, the Palestinian village of Bil'in celebrated the eighth anniversary of unarmed protests against the separation barrier being constructed by Israel. After a 2007 Israeli Supreme ...

New Texts Out Now: Esam Al-Amin, The Arab Awakening Unveiled

Esam Al-Amin, The Arab Awakening Unveiled: Understanding Transformations and Revolutions in the Middle East. Washington, DC: American Educational Trust, 2013. Jadaliyya (J): What made you write this book, and how would you describe it? Esam Al-Amin (EA): The Arab Awakening Unveiled: Understanding Transformations and Revolutions in the Middle East is a collection of essays about the Arab uprisings and awakening movement, arguably the most important phenomenon that has taken place in the Middle East in the past century. I hope that the book provides thoughtful analysis and a keen understanding of this historical moment, as well as important aspects of US policy ...

The Alawite Dilemma in Homs

Syria's Alawites are often portrayed as a monolithic religious community which has unconditionally and unwavering supported the Syrian regime through the crisis which has shaken the country since March 2011. However, very little attention has been paid to the community’s diversity and to reasons for its support of the regime that might extend beyond the simplistic equation: "The ruling family is Alawite, and therefore Syria’s Alawites support the regime." While emphasizing the Alawite community’s diversity in the context of the current situation, this research analyzes the fears for survival and the socio-economic conditions which underpin the current ...

There Can Only Be One: Tamam Salam and Lebanese Politics

On Saturday 6 April 2013, the Lebanese Parliament overwhelmingly nominated Tamam Saeb Salim Salam to become the new Prime Minister. That the premiership in Lebanon should return to Beirut is not strange in and of itself. However, the return of the premiership to the Mseitbeh residence of the Salams—an old notable family that has played a pivotal role in Lebanon’s political life since the late Ottoman and French colonial periods—does not necessarily conform with the traditional meaning of notable politics. Rather, it sheds light on the current nature of (post-war) Lebanese politics, and specifically the transformation of the Sunni za’ama. To speak of the Sunni za’ama ...

Egypt Media Roundup (April 8)

[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on Egypt and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Egypt Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each week's roundup to egypt@jadaliyya.com by Sunday night of every week.]  “The April 6 five-year anniversary: How peaceful protests turned violent” Marches commemorating the fifth anniversary of the founding of the April 6 Movement turn violent in front of the High Court in Cairo. “Update: April 6 protests hit Delta” Delta cities join in the commemoration of the April 6 anniversary with marches. “Clashes between pro, ...

The Perils for Academic Freedom in the Arab World

[The following article was originally published on Tadween Publishing's blog. For more information on the publishing world as it relates to pedagogy and knowledge production, follow Tadween Publishing on Facebook and Twitter.] Calls for change have swept across the Arab world since the uprisings erupted over two years ago. While the process and struggle for political and social freedoms continue, freedom in the world of academia has become a recent, although not new, target in the region. In late February, a conference on the status of higher education in the Arab world, titled "Education for What? The Future of ...