LUGARIT

Political Engineering of Representation in Syria: Legacies and Future Challenges Paper

#Political Representation in Assad’s #Syria was not designed to reflect society, but to manage loyalty and power through #elections, quotas, and informal networks. Understanding this legacy is key to building fair and inclusive representation in the post-Assad moment.

link.lugarit.com/sIia

Making Syrian Local Administration Legible Policy Paper

Local administration in #Syria is changing fast—but growing harder to read. When mandates & rules are unclear, accountability & recovery suffer. #LUGARIT paper, prepared for SALAR International, argues that making governance legible is a public good & an essential reform

link.lugarit.com/p4V1

Book Review: Reconstruction as Violence in Assad's Syria Commentary

#Reconstruction in Assad’s #Syria was not recovery but a continuation of #violence. A #BookReview by #LUGARIT expert highlights how rebuilding reshaped space, legitimized dispossession, and consolidated #power—offering a cautionary lens for Syria’s post-Assad trajectory.

link.lugarit.com/BOEN

After Sanctions: Revisiting the Economic Outputs of Syria’s National Dialogue Paper

1 year after National #Dialogue in #Syria, its #economic outputs remain unpublished—widening the gap between participatory debate vs #policy. #LUGARIT revisits the Dialogue’s diagnoses, recovery priorities, unresolved trade-offs, & transparency needed for #EconomicGrowth

link.lugarit.com/nLXr

Syria at the Margins of the Belt-and-Road Rivalry Paper

In #America – #China rivalry, #Syria serves as a revealing test case. #LUGARIT paper prepared for Issam Fares Institute (IFI) shows how #TradeCorridors, alliances, & #BeltandRoad dynamics - anchored by #SaudiArabia & #Turkey - shape great power strategy in the #MiddleEast

link.lugarit.com/u15p

Civil Service Reform Without a Social Contract? Paper

#Civil service #reform in #Syria is not a technical fix. Without agreement on the role of the state & an inclusive #SocialContract, contractualization of public sector jobs risks undermining stability, legitimacy, & institutional continuity at a critical transitional moment

link.lugarit.com/C2mR

Investing Wisely: Converting Capital into Public Value in Syria Paper

Every #investment in #Syria carries a trade-off. Without prioritization, scarce resources risk fueling elite capture and low-impact projects. Opportunity-cost thinking, discounting, and ethical valuation can help align capital with #PublicValue.

link.lugarit.com/NezX

Protecting National Products and Promoting Exports: Lessons from Türkiye Case Study

Recovery in #Syria after #Sanctions is not built on relief alone. Drawing on Türkiye’s experience, this case study shows how #export capacity— built through #governance, smart incentives, SME support, & rule-based protectionism—drives competitiveness & resilience

link.lugarit.com/IiQc

Financing Recovery in Syria: Between the Center and Localities Commentary

Financing recovery in Syria is ultimately a question of governance. How authority, accountability, and center–local relations are managed will shape whether emerging local initiatives lead to decentralization or reproduce new forms of patronage.

link.lugarit.com/uCAB

When Norms Fall Short: The WPS Agenda and the Realities of Conflict Commentary

#Women in conflict are often visible yet powerless - token seats, checklist projects, and siloed aid fail to deliver real change. #LUGARIT calls for grassroots networks, cross-cutting strategies, and recognition of women’s informal leadership to make #WPS transformative

link.lugarit.com/sEl7

From Inputs to Impact: Aligning Investment with Public Good in Syria Commentary

Recovery in #Syria demands more than capital inflows! It needs a shared definition of #PublicValue. #LUGARIT explores how national frameworks can ensure #investment build resilience, equity, and trust, not just infrastructure or profit.

link.lugarit.com/GF0A

Rebuilding the Fourth Estate: Towards Media Freedom and Reform in Syria Commentary

The transition in #Syria offers a rare opportunity to build an independent, #inclusive #media sector. Through #reforms & #cooperation, media can become a driver of #SocialCohesion, #NationalReconciliation, & #TransitionalJustice —foundations for #peace & #democracy

link.lugarit.com/FL01

Decentralization and Dialogue: Pathways for Syria’s Recovery Commentary

#Decentralization remains central to the debate on the future of #Syria. In an interview, Zedoun Al Zoubi – a Director at #LUGARIT - argues that genuine dialogue & inclusive #governance - not central dominance - are essential to preserving unity & enabling recovery

link.lugarit.com/pxaJ

Illusions of Reconstruction and Syria’s Housing Crisis Commentary

Skyscrapers & mega-projects won’t fix the #HousingCrisis in #Syria. They serve elites, inflate prices, & take years—while millions need homes now. Real recovery means self-help housing, local finance, empowered municipalities, & secure property, land, & tenure rights

link.lugarit.com/glXU

Reconstruction Without Rights? Lessons from Wadi al-Joz Commentary

#Reconstruction in #Syria cannot be reduced to luxury projects. Without safeguarding formal & informal property & tenure rights & addressing real housing needs, recovery risks deepening exclusion. Sustainable return starts with dignity & justice

link.lugarit.com/UGVL

Rebuilding from Within: Local Solutions over Grand Pledges Commentary

#Reconstruction in #Syria cannot be measured in billions alone. In an interview with Al Jazeera English ( @aljazeera.com ), Omar Abdulaziz Hallaj – A Partner at #LUGARIT - reflects on why local solutions & #governance #reforms matter more than grand #investment pledges.

link.lugarit.com/nAiF

Decentralization as a Bridge Between Divides in Syria Commentary

#Decentralization can strengthen unity in #Syria by improving services, empowering #LocalGovernance, & bridging divides between visions. Sequencing reforms & dialogue are key to building trust & stability. Watch the interview with Zedoun Al Zoubi on Al-Ḍād to learn more 📺

link.lugarit.com/e3yw

Syria’s Reconstruction Dilemma: Who Governs The Cities, Who Decides Their Fate? Commentary

#Reconstruction in #Syria is not just bricks and mortar—it is about #governance & #justice. In a new interview, Omar Abdulaziz Hallaj reflects on Syria’s #urban #history since the mid-20th century & unpacks the challenges & choices facing recovery today.

link.lugarit.com/oZgz

Ballots Before Peace? Libya’s Cautionary Tale and the Syrian Dilemma Commentary

Rushing into #elections after #conflict can entrench division, not heal it. Drawing lessons from #Libya, this piece from #LUGARIT warns that #Syria’s fragmented institutions and exclusionary frameworks risk repeating the same mistakes, unless reforms come first

link.lugarit.com/DXzG

Rebuilding Syria on Brittle Ground: Why Environmental Justice Cannot Wait Commentary

#Reconstruction without #environmental safeguards risks deepening injustice & instability. #Recovery in #Syria must treat environmental protection as a shared moral & economic responsibility - embedded in policy, investment, & public culture from the start. Read @ #LUGARIT 👇

link.lugarit.com/PBvW

Investment Without Illusion: Toward a Fair Path for Syria’s Recovery Commentary

Blanket incentives won’t deliver just recovery. #LUGARIT calls for a targeted investment strategy, stronger local governance, and transparency to prevent elite capture. Lessons from #Iraq and #Lebanon show why #Syria must rethink how capital serves public good.

link.lugarit.com/UaX5

The Stories Yet to Be Told: Justice and Reconciliation in the New Syria Commentary

As #Syria turns the page on authoritarian rule, the real challenge lies ahead: building legitimacy through plural narratives, civic dialogue, & forward-looking justice—not new monopolies on truth. #Reconciliation starts by listening to all voices. #LUGARIT

link.lugarit.com/FknK

Walls Within: Segregation and Isolation in Batnāyya Commentary

We share 5th article in a series on #conflict #analysis in #Iraq by Dr. Esther Meininghaus, part of #LUGARIT network. It examines how exclusion and political marginalization shape daily life in Batnāyya—and why residents see secular governance as essential to peace.

link.lugarit.com/Hh71

Beyond the Primakov Triangles: Any Chance for Deconfliction in the Middle East? Commentary

Can triangular #diplomacy and political alliances bring stability to a fractured region—or is it just a way for bigger powers to manage rivalries while smaller states stay stuck in #conflict? #LUGARIT take a sharp look at the #geopolitics shaping the #MiddleEast today.

link.lugarit.com/oh7O

Local Administration in Transition: Towards Inclusive and Accountable Local Governance in Syria Commentary

#Syria reunification depends on inclusive #LocalGovernance—not a return to centralization. A brief, by SALAR International & #LUGARIT, argues for pragmatic interpretation of Decree 107 as a pathway to bridge fragmented governance, & foster a resilient transition

link.lugarit.com/HeiX

The Perils of Omission: What Syria’s Constitutional Declaration Fails to Say Commentary

The new Constitutional Declaration in #Syria leaves out more than it includes. #LUGARIT latest article explores 6 critical omissions that risk derailing the country’s political transition. What’s missing—and why it matters. Learn more 👇

link.lugarit.com/qtoe

Beyond Slogans: Six Principles for Civil Peace in Syria Commentary

#CivilPeace in #Syria can't be built on slogans. #LUGARIT latest article outlines 6 principles to help Syrians move beyond #sectarianism and division—toward #justice, inclusion, and a shared future. A starting point for real #dialogue, not a final word.

link.lugarit.com/Dhz8

Beyond Centralized Power: Multilevel Governance for Syria Publication

The future in #Syria depends on more than a new center, it needs empowered local #governance & enabled local institutions. #LUGARIT latest paper - prepared for Omran Center for Strategic Studies - explores why recovery requires dismantling authoritarian centralism.

link.lugarit.com/Klvn

LUGARIT Opens Dialogue on Rights-Based NGO Law in Syria News

At a workshop in the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor in #Damascus, #LUGARIT joined gov’t & civic leaders to explore a rights-based #NGOs Law for #Syria. Discussions focused on #CivicSpace, #LegalReform, & transparency in #governance.

link.lugarit.com/86lX

Shared Humanity in a Divided Town: Reimagining Coexistence in Baʿshiqa Commentary

We share the 4th article in a series on #conflict #analysis in #Iraq by Dr. Esther Meininghaus, part of #LUGARIT’s network. Discrimination starts in the classroom, religious segregation in Baʿshiqa fuels mistrust. What does peace from the ground up look like?

link.lugarit.com/pqJ2