Description
Since the beginning of the Syrian Uprising in 2011, there has been renewed interest in the state of minority communities in Syria, both locally and internationally. This was accelerated by the country’s division into local control areas, with the political and military forces in each area following their own policies toward Christian communities and other minority groups. Our study attempts to respond to the questions that such a situation provokes: How do these authorities treat Christians? How are different Christian populations affected by these different groups? And how do Christians navigate the particular circumstances in each of these areas of control? This qualitative research followed a descriptive-analytical approach and collected data from thirty semi-structured interviews with Syrian Christians and Muslims involved with this issue. The study draws important conclusions about the condition of Syrian Christians in light of the Syrian Crisis. It also shows how the Syrian regime has used the ‘Christians card’ to attain the West’s support in the name of minority rights.
