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Identity in the Wake of the State: Local, National, and Supranational

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Identity in the Wake of the State: Local, National, and Supranational University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons Publicly Accessible Penn Dissertations 2019 Identity In The akW e Of The tS ate: Local, National, And Supranational Dynamics Of The yS rian Conflict Victoria Gilbert University of Pennsylvania, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations Part of the International Relations Commons, Near Eastern Languages and Societies Commons, and the Other International and Area Studies Commons Recommended Citation Gilbert, Victoria, "Identity In The akW e Of The tS ate: Local, National, And Supranational Dynamics Of The yS rian Conflict" (2019). Publicly Accessible Penn Dissertations. 3349. https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/3349 This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/3349 For more information, please contact [email protected]. Identity In The akW e Of The tS ate: Local, National, And Supranational Dynamics Of The yS rian Conflict Abstract While much of the civil war literature considers the impact religious or ethnic identities have on the character or duration of conflict, scholars have failed to address why different identities become salient in territories outside the state’s control. Using subnational case studies from the Syrian conflict, I claim that we must consider the interests and character of those actors who strive to attain authority and build governing institutions in the absence of the state. I find that civilian actors are more likely to promote local identities, such as clan, tribal, or city-based identities. Armed groups, however, are more likely to choose more abstract or space-based identities, such as ethnic or national identities. The three cases vary in terms of the involvement of civilian and armed actors in institution building. The first case study analyzes an area where civilians played the primary role as institution builders, the second case study describes two areas in which armed groups served as the primary institution builders, and the third case covers an area in which civilian and armed actors controlled different aspects of public life. External actors can also play a supporting role in the development of institutions by local actors or a negative role by destroying groups’ capacity for institution building. The project leverages the availability of materials created by local authorities and disseminated over social media to evaluate identity promotion in dangerous areas. It also uses photos and videos of protests to evaluate the effectiveness of local identity promotion efforts in shifting the salience of civilians’ identities. This work joins an ongoing conversation on the character and effects of rebel governance as well as debates on the relationship between local dynamics and national/international cleavages in times of civil conflict. It also adds to a growing literature on Syria by illustrating the variation of local institution building and identity promotion and by problematizing the emergence of particular cleavages. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Political Science First Advisor Ian S. Lustick Keywords Conflict, Governance, Identity, Institutions, Syria Subject Categories International Relations | Near Eastern Languages and Societies | Other International and Area Studies | Political Science This dissertation is available at ScholarlyCommons: https://repository.upenn.edu/edissertations/3349 IDENTITY IN THE WAKE OF THE STATE: LOCAL, NATIONAL, AND SUPRANATIONAL DYNAMICS OF THE SYRIAN CONFLICT Victoria Gilbert A DISSERTATION in Political Science Presented to the Faculties of the University of Pennsylvania in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2019 Supervisor of Dissertation __________________________ Ian Lustick Professor of Political Science, University of Pennsylvania GraDuate Group Chairperson ________________________ Alex Weisiger, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Pennsylvania Dissertation Committee RuDra Sil Professor of Political Science, University of Pennsylvania Jessica Stanton Associate Professor, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota 1 To my spouse, without whom I would starve spiritually, emotionally, and literally. ii Acknowledgement There are many people and organizations who contributed to this project. My thanks to the Browne Center and the Middle East Center at the University of Pennsylvania for supporting this project. Special thanks need to go to those who assisted me in the massive undertaking of recording and translating the protest materials that I used for this project: Noor Halabi, Rawad Wehbe, and Ibrahim Bakri. A special thank you to Hazem Shekko, Gaith alHallik, and all of my Arabic teachers for your patience and tutelage. There were many passionate teachers who shaped my outlook a few of whom I would like to thank by name: my committee members, Ian Lustick, Jessica Stanton, and Rudy Sil, as well as Amílcar Barreto, Malik Mufti, Amahl Bishara, and Beatrice Manz. Alf shukur to the Syrians who were willing to take a chance and talk to someone around the world whom they met only briefly or had never met in person. iii ABSTRACT IDENTITY IN THE WAKE OF THE STATE: LOCAL, NATIONAL, AND SUPRANATIONAL DYNAMICS OF THE SYRIAN CONFLICT Victoria Gilbert Ian Lustick While much of the civil war literature considers the impact religious or ethnic identities have on the character or duration of conflict, scholars have failed to address why different identities become salient in territories outside the state’s control. Using subnational case studies from the Syrian conflict, I claim that we must consider the interests and character of those actors who strive to attain authority and build governing institutions in the absence of the state. I find that civilian actors are more likely to promote local identities, such as clan, tribal, or city-based identities. Armed groups, however, are more likely to choose more abstract or space-based identities, such as ethnic or national identities. The three cases vary in terms of the involvement of civilian and armed actors in institution building. The first case study analyzes an area where civilians played the primary role as institution builders, the second case study describes two areas in which armed groups served as the primary institution builders, and the third case covers an area in which civilian and armed actors controlled different aspects of public life. External actors can also play a supporting role in the development of institutions by local actors or a negative role by destroying groups’ capacity for institution building. The project leverages the availability of materials created by local authorities and disseminated over social media to evaluate identity promotion in dangerous areas. It also uses photos and videos of protests to evaluate the effectiveness of local identity promotion efforts in shifting the salience of civilians’ identities. This work joins an ongoing conversation on the character and effects of rebel governance as well as debates on the relationship between local dynamics and national/international cleavages in times of civil conflict. It also adds to a growing literature on Syria by illustrating the variation of local institution building and identity promotion and by problematizing the emergence of particular cleavages. iv Table of Contents ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................................... II TABLE OF CONTENTS ..................................................................................................................... V LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES ................................................................................................... VII CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 1 Key Concepts: Identities and Institutions ............................................................................................. 4 The Argument ....................................................................................................................................... 6 The Syrian Context .............................................................................................................................. 10 Research Design and Case Selection .................................................................................................. 13 Organization of the Text .................................................................................................................... 21 CHAPTER 2: IDENTITIES AND INSTITUTION BUILDING IN THE WAKE OF THE STATE ............................................................................................................................................................. 23 Identities ............................................................................................................................................. 24 The State and State Retreat ............................................................................................................... 35 Institutions & Identity Promotion ...................................................................................................... 40 Institutions & Identity Promotion in the State’s Wake ..................................................................... 44 The Role of External Actors in Identity
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