Syria’s new transitional government was sworn in last weekend, almost four months after rebel forces seized Damascus and toppled the ruthless regime of Bashar al-Assad. The country now has another chance at democracy. The road ahead will not be easy — the new government must rebuild amid ongoing sectarian violence, while citizens grapple with the scars left by a half-century of brutal dictatorship.
In the new April issue of the Journal of Democracy, leading scholars of Syria reflect on why there is reason to hope that Syria will be free.
Divining Syria’s Future
Everything we know about getting and keeping democracy suggests we should be, at best, cautious about the prospects for Syria’s democratic future. But, as this collection of essays suggests, there are reasons for hope.
Tarek Masoud“Forever Has Fallen”: The End of Syria’s Assad
Syrians rejoiced when Bashar al-Assad’s regime fell. After decades of dictatorship and civil war, Syrians must now rebuild their country while seeking justice for the victims of authoritarian rule.
Lisa WedeenWhy Syria’s Civil Society Is the Key
After the collapse of the Assad regime, Syria stands at a crossroads. Nothing is assured, but the country’s civil society is its best hope for charting a democratic future.
Rana B. Khoury and Wendy PearlmanRebuilding the State in Post-Assad Syria
Despite a brutal thirteen-year civil war, Syrians are not building from scratch. In fact, Syria has a long and rich history of state-building to guide them.
Daniel Neep
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