The Syrian Revolution and Future of Minorities

Somewhere between civil citizenship and dangerous thoughts on sectarian and ethnic apportionment, divisions and isolation, minorities in Syria are trying to configure their political future. Syria’s minorities are beset by fears of the growing influence of lslamist currents in the Revolution and an eventual Islamist takeover of the country. These fears are motivated by the threat some Islamists trends pose to the civil nature of Syrian society and its diversity and the risk of alienation of the different other groups and repression of religious and political freedoms.

This paper analyzes the potential repercussions of the Syrian Revolution’s shift towards political Islam and all the challenges that might entail in terms of pushing other societal groups towards sectarian and ethnic entrenchment to the detriment of Syrian national identity.

The views represented in this paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Arab Reform Initiative, its staff, or its board.