Historical and Political Context of the Syrian Crisis

Dr. Milner will be presenting the historical and political context of the Syrian crisis at a free lecture, open to the community, on Thursday, February 4th!

“The daily lives of Syrians have changed dramatically since March 2011…The conflict has become protracted with the principal armed actors entrenched and a political and military stalemate consolidating. In the context of this current stalemate, the humanitarian crisis wrought by the conflict is worsening: more than half the total population killed, maimed, or displaced within only four years. The human tragedy of the Syrian conflict has no current end in sight….” –Samer Abboud in Syria (Hot Spots in Global Politics) 

As we struggle to deal with the complexities of the current situation in Syria and the broader Middle East and North Africa, we are reminded that these devastating events have not occurred in a vacuum. From a colonial past to the more recent Arab Spring and struggles among regional actors, geopolitical shifts have exacerbated an already difficult scenario. 

Dr. Wesley Milner is currently the Executive Director of International Programs here at the University of Evansville. He is responsible for facilitating collaboration across academic and non-academic offices to advance international engagement of students, faculty and staff on the Evansville campus and at international sites. Previously, he served as Director of the International Studies Program and Chair of the Department of Law, Politics and Society. 

The seminar will be followed by a panel and open discussion facilitated by Scholars for Syria. 

Join us to better understand the Syrian crisis and help renounce misconceptions of the Syrian conflict.