Implications of the Syrian Civil War on the Alawites

Anti-regime demonstrations erupted in Syria in 2011 that turned into armed con…icts and then a civil war wrecked the country for over eight years have profoundly impacted all social groups. !e Alawite background of the long-lasting ruling family, the Assads, and the growing sectarian characteristics...

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Main Author: Bayram Sinkaya
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: İlmi Etüdler Derneği (İLEM) 2020-06-01
Series:İnsan & Toplum
Subjects:
Online Access:https://insanvetoplum.org/content/6-sayilar/24-10-2/5-m0424/cetin_unsal.pdf
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author Bayram Sinkaya
author_facet Bayram Sinkaya
author_sort Bayram Sinkaya
collection DOAJ
description Anti-regime demonstrations erupted in Syria in 2011 that turned into armed con…icts and then a civil war wrecked the country for over eight years have profoundly impacted all social groups. !e Alawite background of the long-lasting ruling family, the Assads, and the growing sectarian characteristics of the con…ict drew projections particularly on the Alawite community. Indeed, it was regarded very critical both for the continuation of the ruling regime, and for the potential success of its opposition. !ere have been many debates in various occasions on the Alawite’s relations with the opposition and the Assad administration, however, currently there are few scholarly researches on implications of the civil war with regard to the Alawite community. Moreover, the existing literature underexplored communitarian concerns of the Alawites and effects of clashes on them. It also underestimated breaks among the Alawites, and their complicated relations with the regime and the opposition. !is article aimed at analyzing the position of Syrian Alawites in a period that start with the anti-government demonstrations that evolved into the civil war. In this respect, it reviewed the Alawites’ relations with both the Assad administration and the opposition, and it discussed implications of the civil war on this community. It appeared that the Alawites did not act in a monolithic way in the face of anti-regime demonstrations; while some of them stood behind the Assad administration, a considerable part of them tended towards opposition. However, the growing sectarian color of the con…ict that deepened sectarian concerns of the most of the Alawites, led them to extend their support to the Assad administration against the Islamist-dominated opposition. However, it did not mean that the Alawites had seamless relations with the Assad administration; and the Alawite support for the Assad could not be explained solely by sectarian reasons. !ere has been a number of sociological, historical and political factors that affected the Alawite choice.
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spelling doaj-art-2ceea091c74f4eedb9dd16f298fe28782025-08-20T03:55:15Zengİlmi Etüdler Derneği (İLEM)İnsan & Toplum2146-70992602-27452020-06-011029512810.12658/M0424Implications of the Syrian Civil War on the AlawitesBayram Sinkayahttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-9435-4763Anti-regime demonstrations erupted in Syria in 2011 that turned into armed con…icts and then a civil war wrecked the country for over eight years have profoundly impacted all social groups. !e Alawite background of the long-lasting ruling family, the Assads, and the growing sectarian characteristics of the con…ict drew projections particularly on the Alawite community. Indeed, it was regarded very critical both for the continuation of the ruling regime, and for the potential success of its opposition. !ere have been many debates in various occasions on the Alawite’s relations with the opposition and the Assad administration, however, currently there are few scholarly researches on implications of the civil war with regard to the Alawite community. Moreover, the existing literature underexplored communitarian concerns of the Alawites and effects of clashes on them. It also underestimated breaks among the Alawites, and their complicated relations with the regime and the opposition. !is article aimed at analyzing the position of Syrian Alawites in a period that start with the anti-government demonstrations that evolved into the civil war. In this respect, it reviewed the Alawites’ relations with both the Assad administration and the opposition, and it discussed implications of the civil war on this community. It appeared that the Alawites did not act in a monolithic way in the face of anti-regime demonstrations; while some of them stood behind the Assad administration, a considerable part of them tended towards opposition. However, the growing sectarian color of the con…ict that deepened sectarian concerns of the most of the Alawites, led them to extend their support to the Assad administration against the Islamist-dominated opposition. However, it did not mean that the Alawites had seamless relations with the Assad administration; and the Alawite support for the Assad could not be explained solely by sectarian reasons. !ere has been a number of sociological, historical and political factors that affected the Alawite choice.https://insanvetoplum.org/content/6-sayilar/24-10-2/5-m0424/cetin_unsal.pdfsyriathe assad rulearab alawitescivil warintercommunal conflict
spellingShingle Bayram Sinkaya
Implications of the Syrian Civil War on the Alawites
İnsan & Toplum
syria
the assad rule
arab alawites
civil war
intercommunal conflict
title Implications of the Syrian Civil War on the Alawites
title_full Implications of the Syrian Civil War on the Alawites
title_fullStr Implications of the Syrian Civil War on the Alawites
title_full_unstemmed Implications of the Syrian Civil War on the Alawites
title_short Implications of the Syrian Civil War on the Alawites
title_sort implications of the syrian civil war on the alawites
topic syria
the assad rule
arab alawites
civil war
intercommunal conflict
url https://insanvetoplum.org/content/6-sayilar/24-10-2/5-m0424/cetin_unsal.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT bayramsinkaya implicationsofthesyriancivilwaronthealawites