Post-Conflict Syrian State and Nation Building: Economic and Political Development

124 Pages·2015·0.955 MB·English

by  Cenap Çakmak, Murat Ustaoğlu (auth.)

Research team
Supervisors: Dr Atilla Sandıklı, Dr Cenap Çakmak, Dr Salih Akyürek
Advisors: Dr Hasret Çomak, Dr Nurşin Ateşoğlu Güney, Dr Oktay Alnıak
Staff: Dr Murat Ustaoğlu, Dr Kürşad Aslan, Dr Emine Akçadağ, Dr Bekir Ünal
Authors’ previous books
Çakmak, C., “Amerikan Dış Politikası ve ABD-Çin İlişkilerinde Pragmatizm ve Rasyonalite”,
in Geleceğin Süper Gücü Çin: Uzakdoğu’daki Entegrasyonlar ve Şangay İşbirliği Örgütü, edi.
Sandıklı, A. and Güllü, İ., 103–137, TASAM Yayınları, İstanbul, 2005.
Çakmak, C., “Irak Savaşı ve Büyük Ortadoğu Projesi”, in Büyük Ortadoğu Projesi: Yeni
Oluşumlar ve Değişen Dengeler, edi. Sandıklı, A. and Dağcı, K., 151–174, TASAM Yayınları,
İstanbul, 2006.
Çakmak, C., “ABD ve Nükleer İran Krizi: Sorun ne ve nereye gidiyor?”, in Satranç Tahtasında
İran: Nükleer Program, edi. Dağcı, K. and Sandıklı, A., 99–125, TASAM Yayınları, İstanbul,
2007.
Çakmak, C., “Iran-Uluslararası Atom Enerjisi Kurumu (UAEK) İlişkileri”, in Satranç
Tahtasında İran: Nükleer Program, edi. Dağcı, K. and Sandıklı, A., 297–323, TASAM Yayınları,
İstanbul, 2007.
Çakmak, C., “Human Rights, the European Union and Turkey”, in Rethinking EU Turkey
Relations, edi. Dağcı, K. and Dağcı, G. T., 111–134, MV WISSENSCHAFT, Münster, 2007.
Çakmak, C., Transnational Activism in World Politics and Effectiveness of Loosely Organized
Principled Global Network, VDM Publishing, Munchen, 2008.
Çakmak, C., “Simon Bolivar”, in Encyclopedia of the Age of Political Revolutions, edi. Bayes, G.
F., Greenwood Press, New York, 2008.
Çakmak, C., “International Law”, in Encyclopedia of Cold War, Routledge, New York, 2008.
Çakmak, C., “Role of the Women’s Groups in the Rome Conference”, in Crimes Against
Women, edi. Pike, D., Nova Publishers, New York, 2010.
Çakmak, C., “Male Circumcision and Religious Violence”, in Encyclopedia of Religion and
Violence, edi. Ross, J., M. E. Sharpe, New York, 2010.
Çakmak, C., “Is There an Armenian Genocide?”, in Popular Controversies in World History,
edi. Danver, S., ABC-CLIO/Greenwood, New York, 2010.
Çakmak, C., “Discussing Ancient Greek Polis as Forerunner of Democratic Government”,
in Popular Controversies in World History, edi. Danver, S., ABC-CLIO/Greenwood, New York,
2010.
Çakmak, C., “İsrail saldırıları ve uluslararası hukukun imkanları”, in Ortadoğu Yıllığı: ,
edi. İnat, K., Ataman, M. and Çakmak, C., Küre Yayınları, İstanbul, 2010.
Çakmak, C., “İran 2010”, in Ortadoğu Yıllığı: , edi. İnat, K. and Ataman, M., Küre
Yayınları, İstanbul, 2011.
Çakmak, C., “Yeni diplomasi, kompleks küresel yönetişim ve süpergüçle dans: ABD, sivil
toplumun artan rolü ve Uluslararası Ceza Mahkemesi”, in Kamu Diplomasisi, edi. Özkan, A.,
TASAM Yayınları, İstanbul, 2011.
DOI: 10.1057/9781137538857.0001
Çakmak, C., “Neden Dış Politika? Neden Amerikan Dış Politikası?”, in Yakın Dönem
Amerikan Dış Politikası: Teori ve Pratik, edi. Çakmak C., Dinç, C. and Öztürk, A., Nobel,
Ankara, 2011.
Çakmak, C., Uluslararası Hukuk Ders Kitabı, Ekin, Bursa, 2014.
Çakmak, C., . Yüzyılda Soykırım ve Etnik Temizlik, Bilgi Üniversitesi Yayınları, İstanbul,
2014.
Çakmak, C., Suriye’nin Yeniden Yapılandırılması, BİLGESAM Yayınları, İstanbul, 2014.
Çakmak, C., Dinç, C. and Öztürk, A., Yakın Dönem Amerikan Dış Politikası: Teori ve Pratik,
Nobel, Ankara, 2011.
Çakmak, C. and Doğan, N. Birleşmiş Milletler: BM Sistemi ve Reformu, Siyasal, Ankara, 2014.
Çakmak, C., Doğan, N. and Öztürk, A., Uluslararası İlişkilerde Güncel Sorunlar ve Türkiye,
Seçkin, Ankara, 2012.
Çakmak, C., İnat, K. and Ataman, M., Ortadoğu Yıllığı: 2009, Küre Yayınları, İstanbul, 2010.
Çakmak, C. and Öztürk A., “Türk Dış Politikası ve uluslararası hukuk: Türkiye-UCM
ilişkileri bağlamında bir değerlendirme”, in . Yüzyılda Çağdaş Türk Dış Politikası ve
Diplomasisi, edi. Çomak, H., Umuttepe Yayınları, Kocaeli, 2010.
Çakmak, C. and Öztürk, A., “Jeopolitik, Soğuk Savaş sonrası Avrasya ve Uluslararası İlişkiler
Teorileri”, in Dünya Jeopolitiğinde Türkiye, edi. Çomak, H., Hiperlink, İstanbul, 2011.
Çakmak, C. and ve A. Uysal, “Ürdün 2009”, in Ortadoğu Yıllığı: , edi. İnat, K., Ataman,
M. and Çakmak, C., Küre Yayınları, İstanbul, 2010.
Ustaoğlu, M., “Restructuring the Syrian Economy: Insights on the Post-Conflict Period”, in
Reconstruction of The Syria, edi. Sandıklı, A. and Çakmak, C., Bilgesam Yayınları, İstanbul,
Turkey, 2014.
Ustaoğlu, M., “Suriye ekonomisinin yeniden yapılandırılması”, in Suriye’nin Yeniden
Yapılandırılması, edi. Sandıklı, A. and Çakmak, C., Bilgesam Yayınları, İstanbul, Turkey, 2014.
Ustaoğlu, M., “Analysis of Economic Growth and Financial Structure of Participation Banks
in Turkey”, in Islamic Finance Development and Economic Growth, edi. Echchabi, A., Effat
University Press, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, 2015.
Ustaoğlu, M., “Alms”, in Islam: A Worldwide Encyclopedia, edi. Çakmak, C., ABC-CLIO/
Greenwood, New York, 2015.
Ustaoğlu, M., “Extravagance”, in Islam: A Worldwide Encyclopedia, edi. Çakmak, C., ABC-
CLIO/Greenwood, New York, 2015.
Ustaoğlu, M., “Islamic Economics”, in Islam: A Worldwide Encyclopedia, edi. Çakmak, C.,
ABC-CLIO/Greenwood, New York, 2015.
Ustaoğlu, M., “Islamic Development Bank”, in Islam: A Worldwide Encyclopedia, edi. Çakmak,
C., ABC-CLIO/Greenwood, New York, 2015.
Ustaoğlu, M. and İncekara, A., Islamic Finance Alternatives for Emerging Economies, Palgrave
Macmillan, New York, USA, 2014.
DOI: 10.1057/9781137538857.0001
Post-Conflict Syrian
State and Nation
Building: Economic and
Political Development
Cenap Çakmak
Professor of International Law and Politics,
Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Turkey
and
Murat Ustaoğlu
Assistant Professor of Economics,
Istanbul University, Turkey
DOI: 10.1057/9781137538857.0001
post-conflict syrian state and nation building
Selection and arrangement © Cenap Çakmak and Murat Ustaoğlu, 2015.
Original content © Wise Men Center for Strategic Studies (BİLGESAM), 2014.
Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2015 978-1-137-53884-0
All rights reserved.
First published in 2015 by
PALGRAVE MACMILLAN®
in the United States—a division of St. Martin’s Press LLC,
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.
Where this book is distributed in the UK, Europe and the rest of the world,
this is by Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited,
registered in England, company number 785998, of Houndmills,
Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS.
Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint of the above companies
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Palgrave® and Macmillan® are registered trademarks in the United States,
the United Kingdom, Europe and other countries.

ISBN:978-1-137-53885-7 PDF
ISBN:978-1-349-71163-5
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available from
the Library of Congress.
A catalogue record of the book is available from the British Library.
First edition: 2015
www.palgrave.com/pivot
DOI: 10.1057/9781137538857
Dedicated to Omar and Marwah’s little AWAD
DOI: 10.1057/9781137538857.0001
Contents
Preface vii
Acknowledgments ix
About the Authors x
Introduction 1
1 The Arab Spring and the Emergence of the
Syrian Crisis 17
2 Identity, Political System and the
Constitution 23
3 Restructuring the Syrian Economy 43
4 Restructuring the Security Sector 68
5 Transitional Justice After the Civil War 78
6 Foreign Policy Vision 91
Conclusion: Findings and Evaluation 98
References 104
Index 110
vi DOI: 10.1057/9781137538857.0001
Preface
The popular movements that started in the Middle East
in 2011 led to change of regimes in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya
and Yemen; however, the popular uprisings in Syria have
not yet brought about a similar change but instead led
to a bloody conflict which later turned into a civil war.
The impacts of this crisis were not limited to Syria; the
crisis also had serious global and regional implications as
well. The urgency of ending this destructive and bloody
conflict is obvious for the reason that the crisis turned
into a humanitarian tragedy; however, how the state and
nation will be built and constructed in the aftermath of
this conflict is also a crucial question. There are ongoing
problems stemming from the improper construction and
definition of the state and national identity given that it
is unable to address popular demands; the current crisis
in Syria confirms that this may lead to serious problems
including civil war. For this reason, how the state and
nation should be constructed remains a crucial matter to
avoid similar structural flaws in the future as well.
To this end, the Wise Men Center for Strategic Research
(BİLGESAM) in Istanbul initiated research to investigate
the political, economic and military shape of Syria in the
aftermath of the conflict and to discuss possible alterna-
tives for a viable definition of national identity and state
structure. The research was generously supported by the
International Civil Society Support and Development
Association (STD). Based on the findings of this research,
a report on how a national and state identity could
be constructed once the civil war is over in Syria was
DOI: 10.1057/9781137538857.0002 vii
viii Preface
previously submitted to offer a plausible roadmap for nation and state
building in this country. The report includes policy recommendations
for the relevant parties.
As part of the implementation of the research, workshops were held
with the participation of leading figures of the Syrian opposition as well
as academics and researchers specializing in Syrian affairs. The findings
from the workshops were analyzed to reach plausible conclusions that
would serve as basis of policy recommendations. In addition, in-depth
interviews were held with the lead names of the Syrian opposition and
Syrian and Turkish academics.
The opposition leaders and figures stated their objection to the possible
participation of representatives of the Syrian regime in the workshops;
for this reason, no regime representative took part in the research efforts
and works. As a result, the Syrian opposition groups were taken as the
only focus groups in the researches.
This book, based on the analysis of the findings in the workshops
and interviews, focuses on several issues pertaining to nation and state
building in post-conflict Syria including national identity, political
regime and separation of powers, making of the constitution, economic
reforms, restructuring the security sector, transitional justice and foreign
policy vision. The study considered the realities of Syria but also referred
to international customs and legal rules whenever they were applicable.
DOI: 10.1057/9781137538857.0002
Acknowledgments
We appreciate the financial support by the funders for the
conduct of research as part of the research. We also recog-
nize the contribution of BILGESAM and Istanbul University
Scientific Research Projects Department and the indispensable
contributions by the Syrian opposition figures to the discus-
sions and deliberations.
DOI: 10.1057/9781137538857.0003 ix