Through Dialogue and Reflection, a Path to Understanding (eBook)

The International Edition

Mikkel Lang-Jensen Faursby (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2025 | 1. Auflage
180 Seiten
Publishdrive (Verlag)
978-0-00-097679-6 (ISBN)

Infos

Through Dialogue and Reflection, a Path to Understanding

In a world fractured by conflict and ideology, one book dares to listen. 'Through Dialogue and Reflection, a Path to Understanding' invites readers into a quiet yet resonant space, where eight voices imagine, question, and remember what it means to be human in a time of disruption.

Set against the backdrop of Syria's transformation, this international edition presents a kaleidoscope of personal journeys: a loyal official caught between stability and survival, a doctor redefining healing in a collapsing city, a teacher fighting for the soul of his community, and a farmer enduring decades of silent oppression. Alongside them stands a businessman protecting his family in shifting winds, a historian tracing Syria's long shadows, a scholar unraveling the regional fault lines, and an interviewer weaving their insights into a single reflective arc.

This book is not a chronology of war. It is a composition of choices, silences, and the fragile rhythm of resilience. A hybrid of testimony and analysis, fiction and truth, told with humility and precision.

Written from a distance, but with deep proximity to the people and principles that define Syria's past and possible future, the book asks what understanding truly demands: shared words, open questions, and the courage to see both the pain and the potential in those we are taught to call 'others.'

'Through Dialogue and Reflection, a Path to Understanding' is a literary listening post. A mirror held up to society and the reader. One conversation at a time.

Textauszug

Part 0: The historian from Denmark

Can you tell us about Syria – the nation and its development?

The country is strategically located in the Middle East, bordering Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Israel, making it a geopolitical focal point for centuries.

Its population is composed of Arabs, Kurds, Druze, Assyrians, Armenians, and other ethnic groups, which has created both dynamism and challenges in its social structure.

Syria has been a hub of trade, culture, and political power struggles for centuries. From the fall of the Ottoman Empire to the present day, the country has experienced periods of stability, colonial rule, revolutions, and wars. Each of these shifts has shaped the people who live here - from the merchants of Aleppo to the farmers of Deir ez-Zor, the officials of Latakia, and the intellectuals of Damascus.

To understand modern-day Syria, we need to look back at how different political powers have shaped its society:

The Ottoman Empire provided a stable trade structure, albeit one that was limited in terms of political freedom.

The French mandate brought economic reforms that prioritized exports over the needs of citizens.

Independence brought reforms, but also internal strife and instability.

What about the Ottoman Empire and its influence on Syria?

For over four centuries, Syria was an integral part of the Ottoman Empire, administered from Damascus and subject to the Sultan's political and economic structure. Between 1516 and 1918, the region experienced periods of both stability and instability, marked by increased taxation, internal power struggles, and external invasions.

The Ottoman administration was hierarchical, centered around local governors who reported directly to the capital of Constantinople. While certain areas, such as Damascus, enjoyed relative autonomy, the rural population often faced economic pressure from successive rulers.

The Ottoman Empire practiced a so-called millet system, where religious minorities had certain non-territorial autonomy but were also subject to the empire's tax and military service policies.

How were the economic conditions and trade?

Aleppo was one of the most important trading cities in the Ottoman Empire, renowned for its bustling markets (souqs) and its connections to Europe and Asia. Ottoman policy supported trade, but at the same time, Syrian manufacturers were tied to the empire's economic needs, especially in the export of textiles, spices, and metals.

Agriculture was considered the heart of Syria's economy. Under the Ottoman Empire, agriculture was the primary source of livelihood for much of the population, and administration was relatively decentralized. Local governors and farming communities adjusted production according to regional needs, and there was no extensive state-led crop conversion.

Although certain crops were linked to trade and export, basic food production, wheat, barley, olives, and spices, was maintained as a priority. Aleppo was renowned for its markets and trade routes, while Damascus served as a hub for administrative and economic activities.

The significant conversion of crops to export commodities, such as cotton and tobacco, at the expense of food only intensified under the French mandate, creating food shortages and economic insecurity for peasants.

Can you tell about the transition from the Ottoman Empire to the French Mandate?

In 1918, when the Ottoman Empire fell, Syria was a country in flux and uncertainty. After centuries of Ottoman administration, local merchants and peasants were accustomed to a system based on regional networks, relative autonomy, and traditional tax regulations. Now the country was left without clear leadership, and the European powers quickly exploited the power vacuum.

While some Syrians saw potential in French modernization, others saw it as a continuation of foreign domination. The French reforms that soon followed would not only change Syria's political structure but also break centuries of economic and social patterns.

The secret Sykes-Picot agreement between Britain and France had already mapped out the future of the Middle East - not based on local desires but on colonial interests. For Syria, it meant that French soldiers moved in, not as liberators, but as administrators of a new mandate imposed by the League of Nations.

One of the duties of the League of Nations was to administer those territories that had changed ownership as a consequence of the post-war treaties dealing with the losers of World War I (WWI), in addition to maintaining international peace and security.

Territories that had once belonged to Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire were redistributed, either gaining complete independence (e.g., Iraq) or being placed under the care of WWI's victors (e.g., Palestine, Syria, and the Cameroons). These territories were regarded as ‘League Mandated’ territories and received regular inspections by the League, although, in practice, they were often considered as simply new colonies by their administering nations.

Can you elaborate on the beginning of the mandate?

In 1920, France occupied Syria after defeating the short-lived Arab Kingdom government of King Faisal.

It led to military control and administrative fragmentation. France divided Syria into four territorial units: Damascus, Aleppo, the Alawite state, and the Druze state, which undermined national unity.

In France's favor, trade structures were reorganized and infrastructural projects were implemented, but without the involvement of local actors.

The lack of respect for local traditions and governance models led to increasing resistance, especially from the Druze and other nationalist factions.

What about the economic and social consequences?

The country underwent an agricultural transformation and came under French control. Crops were converted into export goods, resulting in food shortages and insecurity among peasants.

Syrian trade networks were strengthened for European purposes, but many local merchants lost access to traditional markets.

Damascus and Aleppo underwent modernization, but only a small elite benefited from French investment, while the broader population faced restrictions on economic mobility.

How did the population react to these changes?

Syria went through political tensions and nationalist movements. The Great Syrian Revolt, which took place from 1925 to 1927, was led by Sultan al-Atrash, and other groups, including the Druze, took up arms against French control, resulting in harsh military reprisals from France.

Despite French control, nationalist movements grew, particularly around Hashim al-Atassi, who later became a key figure in the struggle for independence.

Over time, France's economic and military grip weakened, and international pressure grew for a gradual transfer of power to the Syrians.

Can you elaborate on the road to independence?

Under the League of Nations, an agreement was negotiated for self-rule, but France refused to ratify it, sparking anger among nationalists.

With the outbreak of World War II, Syria became a pawn in the larger power games, and the British and French Free Forces ultimately occupied the country.

Under pressure from British and Syrian nationalists, the last French troops withdrew in 1946, and Syria finally became an independent republic.

Do you have any conclusions to add?

The French mandate laid the groundwork for significant economic and political upheaval, but its inefficiency and disregard for local structures accelerated nationalist movements. Independence eventually became an inevitable outcome, not as a French gift, but as a necessary step for a population that no longer accepted foreign rule.

When France finally withdrew from Syria in 1946, the country was formally independent but still marked by decades of colonial rule. The French reforms had a profound influence on the country's political and economic structure, and the internal tensions that had arisen during the mandate persisted after independence.

The new republic would now have to find its path, but what that meant for Syria's future was still unclear. While nationalist leaders dreamed of a unified state, they would soon discover that independence did not automatically mean stability. The coming years would bring political struggles, military coups, and deep internal power struggles that paved the way for the rise of the Ba'ath Party.

Can you provide an overview of the most significant events that occurred in the following years?

After gaining independence in 1946, Syria faced significant economic challenges and political fragmentation, marked by power struggles that characterized its early years as an independent state.

Landowners dominated the parliament. Power was in the hands of a Sunni urban elite that failed to stabilize the nation. It created social tensions and nationalist ambitions. Many working-class and rural populations felt neglected, while nationalist leaders dreamed of a stronger Syria.

As part of the Arab coalition, Syria fought in the Arab-Israeli war in 1948, but its defeat exacerbated political unrest. Following the defeat, Husni al-Za'im carried out Syria's first military coup, marking a turning point in the country's political history. Between 1949 and 1954, power constantly shifted between military leaders, making democratic stability impossible.

In 1958, Syria merged with Egypt under the...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 30.7.2025
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Romane / Erzählungen
• ISBN-10: 0-00-097679-2 / 0000976792
• ISBN-13: 978-0-00-097679-6 / 9780000976796