This Will Help You Understand Syria’s Political & Emotional History
Professor Samer Abboud joined us on The afikra Podcast to speak about the political history of Syria, from the French colonial mandate through the Ba'athist era and into the complexities of the 21st century. A scholar at Villanova University, professor Abboud discussed the evolution of Syrian governance, economic shifts, and the impact of repression on the lives of Syrians. He also shared a compelling list of things to read and watch which offers a rich entry point into Syria’s political and emotional history.
Books To Read on Syria
No Knives in the Kitchens of This City
by Khalid Khalifa
A haunting novel about generational despair and the pervasive fear in Ba'athist Syria, set in Aleppo.
The Shell
by Mustafa Khalifa
A harrowing prison memoir capturing the brutality of the Assad regime and the psychological toll of repression.
Via Simon & Schuster
Ambiguities of Domination & Authoritarian Apprehensions
by Lisa Wedeen
Foundational texts in political science examining the mechanisms of authoritarianism and symbolic control in Syria.
The Frightened Ones
by Dima Wannous
A powerful literary exploration of fear and trauma in contemporary Syria, praised for its lyrical prose and sharp insights.
Via Penguin
Syria Under Bashar al-Asad: Modernisation and the Limits of Change
by Volker Perthes
An analysis of state structure, economic liberalization, and power consolidation under Bashar al-Assad.
Via Routledge
The Rule of Violence
by Salwa Ismail
A study of how state violence is processed emotionally by its victims, using memoirs and cultural texts to trace the scars left by authoritarian rule.
Via Abe Books
Films To Watch on Syria
Tadmor
by Lokman Slim & Monika Borgmann
Tadmor is an infamous prison. Until 1946, it was used as barracks by the French military during its international mandate in Syria and Lebanon. In 1980, it became the scene of one of the most atrocious political massacres in history: thousands of members of the Islamist Brotherhood were killed following an assassination attempt on the Syrian President Hafez al-Assad. This building, called the “kingdom of death and madness” by the poet Faraj Bayraqdar, was destroyed by Islamic State forces during the conquest of Palmyra in 2015. Lebanese political opponents to the Syrian regime were also imprisoned there. In this film, eight of them recount and stage the horrors they have seen and suffered. Their remembrance is distressed by horrible memories of the time spent in this place of torture and humiliation. Reliving them within an almost theatrical staging, acted out by themselves, is an act of accusation as well as a liberating therapy. Here is a surprising film that makes a strong impression through the power of the speech, the simple plasticity of the images and the distressing resignation of the bodies filmed.
Language: Arabic
Via Visions du Reel
Kasak Ya Watan
by Khaldoon AL-Maleh & Duraid Lahham
Classic Syrian film, often described as a “classic” capturing Syrian life and politics through satire…
Spotlight (بقعة ضوئ)
A series praised for its sharp social and political satire. Through humor and wit, it tackled taboo topics and everyday struggles, offering bold commentary on life in Syria and the Arab world, while navigating censorship with clever storytelling.
Amal Mafi امل مافي
by Bassam Kousa & Fayez Kazak
A Syrian series consisting of sketches with Bassam Koussa and Faez Kazak. The two sit at a modest table and complain about the exhausted citizen's condition.
A Filmmaker To Look Out for
Joud Said
Joud Said
A Syrian filmmaker with works about Syrian life after 2011, from a loyalist/state-funded perspective
Stills from Sky Road starring Ayman Zeidan