Building Legitimacy Under Bombs: Syrian Local Revolutionary Governance’S Quest for Trust and Peace

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Building Legitimacy Under Bombs: Syrian Local Revolutionary Governance’S Quest for Trust and Peace BUILDING LEGITIMACY UNDER BOMBS: SYRIAN LOCAL REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNANCE’S QUEST FOR TRUST AND PEACE Nour Salameh ADVERTIMENT. L'accés als continguts d'aquesta tesi doctoral i la seva utilització ha de respectar els drets de la persona autora. Pot ser utilitzada per a consulta o estudi personal, així com en activitats o materials d'investigació i docència en els termes establerts a l'art. 32 del Text Refós de la Llei de Propietat Intel·lectual (RDL 1/1996). Per altres utilitzacions es requereix l'autorització prèvia i expressa de la persona autora. En qualsevol cas, en la utilització dels seus continguts caldrà indicar de forma clara el nom i cognoms de la persona autora i el títol de la tesi doctoral. No s'autoritza la seva reproducció o altres formes d'explotació efectuades amb finalitats de lucre ni la seva comunicació pública des d'un lloc aliè al servei TDX. Tampoc s'autoritza la presentació del seu contingut en una finestra o marc aliè a TDX (framing). Aquesta reserva de drets afecta tant als continguts de la tesi com als seus resums i índexs. ADVERTENCIA. El acceso a los contenidos de esta tesis doctoral y su utilización debe respetar los derechos de la persona autora. Puede ser utilizada para consulta o estudio personal, así como en actividades o materiales de investigación y docencia en los términos establecidos en el art. 32 del Texto Refundido de la Ley de Propiedad Intelectual (RDL 1/1996). Para otros usos se requiere la autorización previa y expresa de la persona autora. En cualquier caso, en la utilización de sus contenidos se deberá indicar de forma clara el nombre y apellidos de la persona autora y el título de la tesis doctoral. No se autoriza su reproducción u otras formas de explotación efectuadas con fines lucrativos ni su comunicación pública desde un sitio ajeno al servicio TDR. Tampoco se autoriza la presentación de su contenido en una ventana o marco ajeno a TDR (framing). Esta reserva de derechos afecta tanto al contenido de la tesis como a sus resúmenes e índices. WARNING. Access to the contents of this doctoral thesis and its use must respect the rights of the author. It can be used for reference or private study, as well as research and learning activities or materials in the terms established by the 32nd article of the Spanish Consolidated Copyright Act (RDL 1/1996). Express and previous authorization of the author is required for any other uses. In any case, when using its content, full name of the author and title of the thesis must be clearly indicated. Reproduction or other forms of for profit use or public communication from outside TDX service is not allowed. Presentation of its content in a window or frame external to TDX (framing) is not authorized either. These rights affect both the content of the thesis and its abstracts and indexes. UNIVERSITAT ROVIRA I VIRGILI BUILDING LEGITIMACY UNDER BOMBS: SYRIAN LOCAL REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNANCE’S QUEST FOR TRUST AND PEACE Nour Salameh DOCTORAL THESIS NOUR SALAMEH BUILDING LEGITIMACY UNDER BOMBS: SYRIAN LOCAL REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNANCE’S QUEST FOR TRUST AND PEACE (2017) UNIVERSITAT ROVIRA I VIRGILI UNIVERSITAT ROVIRA I VIRGILI BUILDING LEGITIMACY UNDER BOMBS: SYRIAN LOCAL REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNANCE’S QUEST FOR TRUST AND PEACE Nour Salameh UNIVERSITAT ROVIRA I VIRGILI BUILDING LEGITIMACY UNDER BOMBS: SYRIAN LOCAL REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNANCE’S QUEST FOR TRUST AND PEACE Nour Salameh UNIVERSITAT ROVIRA I VIRGILI BUILDING LEGITIMACY UNDER BOMBS: SYRIAN LOCAL REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNANCE’S QUEST FOR TRUST AND PEACE Nour Salameh BUILDING LEGITIMACY UNDER BOMBS: SYRIAN LOCAL REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNANCE’S QUEST FOR TRUST AND PEACE by Nour Salameh A doctoral thesis submitted in total fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of PhD 2017 Under the Direction and supervision of: Prof. Enric Olivé Serret Director - Full Professor UNESCO Chair of Intercultural Dialogue in the Mediterranean UNIVERSITAT ROVIRA I VIRGILI BUILDING LEGITIMACY UNDER BOMBS: SYRIAN LOCAL REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNANCE’S QUEST FOR TRUST AND PEACE Nour Salameh UNIVERSITAT ROVIRA I VIRGILI BUILDING LEGITIMACY UNDER BOMBS: SYRIAN LOCAL REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNANCE’S QUEST FOR TRUST AND PEACE Nour Salameh Summary in English Although, Local Governance Entities in opposition-controlled areas in Syria introduce themselves as governmental bodies, their role and agency go beyond the traditional definition of local governance which limits them to resource mobilization, program implementation and service provision. They are part of a conflict society which includes a diversity of different organizations and groups, including, economic actors, private citizens, educators, activists, faith-based groups, foundations, legal organizations, advocacy groups, civil society organizations and the media, and also armed actors. By scrutinizing the current dynamics and different types of local and provincial governance and administration entities and initiatives existing in Syria (since the beginning of the revolution in 2011 till the date of writing this thesis 2017), and their relations with internal and external actors, as well as with major influential armed groups, I tend to measure the impact of these entities on local communities, and examine the hypothesis that the revolutionary capital that they possess asserts their position in the transitional period in Syria, and in the efforts for building sustainable peace in the country. In fact, I argue that a representative and legitimate system built with a bottom-up approach based on elections, with embedded freedom of expression, association and social inclusion would solidify peace or local truces, and may, if applied on a larger scale, lead to national peace. Further, I wonder if the involvement of local governance entities in peace negotiations and the transitional period that follows would reflect the triumph of the Syrian revolution and what it stands for in terms of putting an end to years of authoritarian regime and establishing a democracy that is well adapted to the particularities and the characteristics of the Syrian people. I also question if these LCs, in their current status, could serve as an example of a revolutionary democracy that could pave the way to a social democratic government. UNIVERSITAT ROVIRA I VIRGILI BUILDING LEGITIMACY UNDER BOMBS: SYRIAN LOCAL REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNANCE’S QUEST FOR TRUST AND PEACE Nour Salameh UNIVERSITAT ROVIRA I VIRGILI BUILDING LEGITIMACY UNDER BOMBS: SYRIAN LOCAL REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNANCE’S QUEST FOR TRUST AND PEACE Nour Salameh Resumen en Español Si bien las Entidades de Gobernabilidad Local de las zonas controladas por la oposición en Siria se presentan como órganos gubernamentales, su papel y su organismo van más allá de la definición tradicional de gobernanza local, lo que limita su papel a la movilización de recursos, ejecución de programas y prestación de servicios. De hecho, estas entidades forman parte de una sociedad de conflicto que incluye una diversidad de organizaciones y grupos diferentes, incluyendo actores económicos, ciudadanos privados, educadores, activistas, grupos religiosos, organizaciones legales, grupos de defensa, organizaciones de la sociedad civil y medios de comunicación. También actores armados. Estudiando la dinámica actual y los diferentes tipos de entidades e iniciativas de gobierno y administración locales y provinciales existentes en Siria (desde el inicio de la revolución en 2011 hasta la fecha de redacción de esta tesis en 2017) y sus relaciones con actores internos y externos, así como con los principales grupos armados influyentes, intento de medir el impacto de estas entidades en sus comunidades locales y de examinar la hipótesis de que el capital revolucionario que poseen afirme su posición en el período de transición en Siria y en los esfuerzos por construir una paz sostenible en el país. De hecho, argumento que un sistema representativo y legítimo construido de abajo a arriba basado en elecciones, con libertad de expresión, asociación e inclusión social, solidificaría la paz o las treguas locales y podría, si se aplicara en mayor escala, conducir A la paz nacional. Además, me pregunto si la participación de las entidades locales de gobernanza en las negociaciones de paz y en el período de transición que sigue reflejaría el triunfo de la revolución siria y lo que representa en términos de poner fin a años de régimen autoritario y establecer una democracia que sea bien adaptada a las particularidades y características del pueblo sirio. También cuestiono si estas entidades, en su estado actual, podrían servir como ejemplo de una democracia revolucionaria que podría allanar el camino a un gobierno socialdemócrata. UNIVERSITAT ROVIRA I VIRGILI BUILDING LEGITIMACY UNDER BOMBS: SYRIAN LOCAL REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNANCE’S QUEST FOR TRUST AND PEACE Nour Salameh UNIVERSITAT ROVIRA I VIRGILI BUILDING LEGITIMACY UNDER BOMBS: SYRIAN LOCAL REVOLUTIONARY GOVERNANCE’S QUEST FOR TRUST AND PEACE Nour Salameh CONTENT ……………………………………………………………………………..........……………………. `Preface ................................................................................................................................ 1 Aim of the Research ................................................................................................. 5 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 7 Research Methodology .......................................................................................... 10 Chapter 1 - Emerging Governance ..................................................................................
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