"My name is..." // "...اسمي" is a photo series that aims to depoliticize the highly politicized identity of the Arab, female refugee. Due to the growing number of refugees being forced out of their homes and displaced all around the globe, their collective existence has turned into a number. The world only sees one image when they think of an Arab refugee; the suffering, hopeless body of an Arab, struggling to cross borders. The world is not exposed to the real experiences of these individuals, and their stories remain untold. With this project, I aim to share these stories. Female refugees have unique experiences as women, and as mothers. They hold specific responsibilities within the displaced family and community as a whole. Each of them carry different narratives, different hopes and dreams. Combining their stories alongside the photos will help humanize them and show a side to them that the mainstream media fails to show, a side that doesn’t drastically differ from the experiences of people all over the world, no matter where they are from.

Ce travail de thèse s’inscrit dans la continuité de nombreux travaux consacrés à l’un des thèmes de recherche préférentiel de l’archéologie syrienne, à savoir l’identification des étapes du processus qui voit, au cours du IIIe millénaire av. J.-C., la transformation des sociétés villageoises vers un niveau d’organisation complexe et l’émergence des villes. À travers une perspective d’analyse double, à la fois urbaine et architecturale, cette étude s’est attachée à identifier les différentes phases de la transformation urbaine de certains sites-clés, tels que Tell ‘Atij, Tell Bderi, Tell Chuera, Tell Habuba Kabira, Tell Hariri, Tell Melebiya et Tell al-Raqa’i. L’analyse approfondie de la morphologie de ces établissements, des modes d’aménagement de l’espace bâti, de leur nature, de leur développement au fil du temps, ainsi que des caractéristiques de leurs habitats et leurs évolutions, a permis de mettre en évidence certaines dynamiques évolutives propres aux agglomérations en voie de transformation vers un « statut urbain » proprement dit. La récurrence de ces dynamiques sur plusieurs des chantiers analysés – bien qu’à des époques différentes – conduit à reconnaître au moins trois étapes dans le processus d’urbanisation des sites proto-urbains de la région syrienne. C’est seulement à la suite de cette évolution en trois temps que les compétences urbanistiques nécessaires à la mise en place d’un vrai plan d’urbanisme sont acquises et maîtrisées, et que les premières villes font leur apparition. Enfin, l’analyse des habitats nous a permis de constater qu’au sein de chaque implantation, un « concept » propre et spécifique d’habitation est adopté et développé au cours du temps. Il a également été possible d’esquisser une évolution des caractères propres aux espaces publics et privés. / This thesis is part of the continuity of work devoted to one of the preferred research themes of Syrianarchaeology, namely the identification of the process through which, during the 3rd millennium BC, village societies attained a complex organizational level and cities emerged. Through a dual analytical perspective, both urban and architectural, this study focuses on identifying the different phases of urban transformation of key sites, such as Tell ‘Atij, Tell Bderi, Tell Chuera, Tell Habuba Kabira, Tell Hariri, Tell Melebiya and Tell al-Raqa'i. An in-depth analysis of the morphology of these establishments, the methods of planning the built environment, their nature, their development over time, as well as the characteristics of their housing and their evolution, has made it possible to highlight certain evolutionary dynamics specific to proto-urban areas undergoing transformation towards an "urban status" as such. The recurrence of these dynamics across several ofthe sites analysed – although carried out at different times – leads to the key contribution of this thesis: the definition of at least three stages in the urbanisation process of proto-urban sites in the Syrian region. It is only as a result of this three-stage evolution that the urban planning skills necessary to implement a real urban planning are developed and mastered, and that the first cities appear. Finally, the results of the analysis we conduct on habitats show that within each location, a precise and clear-cut "concept" of housing is adopted and developed over time. Here, it is also possible to sketch an evolution of the features specific to public and private spaces.

Les aménagements ruraux en Syrie du Sud est un sujet qui tient à la densité de l'intérêt porté à l'étude de l'occupation du sol en général, mais aussi de la structuration des terroirs et de la formation des paysages agraires. L'objectif est ici d'étudier les opérations réalisées dans le paysage agraire, leur évolution et les vestiges qu'ils ont laissés dans ce paysage. Une zone cultivée dans le Nord-Ouest de Jabal al-' Arab en Syrie du Sud a été étudiée. La distribution spatiale des aménagements qui datent des époques pré-provinciale, romaine et byzantine a été analysée. Ces aménagements ont été cartographiés grâce à un logiciel du SIG, à savoir QGIS (Quantum GIS). L'étude des sites répartis dans la zone choisie, ainsi que leur terroir, leur parcellaire et les installations associées, a permis d'identifier les processus de l'occupation et de l'exploitation du milieu naturel. Ces travaux permettent de formuler des hypothèses sur une problématique concernant la nature et les phases de l'occupation de cette région. Cette recherche se situe dans un contexte d'archéologie agraire. La question générale abordée est celle des aménagements ruraux que peut fournir l'observation des paysages. / The rural planning works in Southern Syria is mainly driven by the density of the interest paid to the study of the evolution of landscape spatial organization, especially of the formation of agrarian landscapes. The aim of this PhD is to study the operations realized in the rural landscape, their evolution and the vestiges left in this landscape. A cultivated mountainous area of the NO Jabal al-' Arab (Southern Syria) was studied. The spatial distribution of rural planning works, that date from the Pre-provincial, Roman and byzantine were analyzed. These rural planning works were mapped through a GIS software (QGIS). The study of the sites distributed in the study area, their fields and the installations associated to them led to identify the processes of occupation and the exploitation of the natural environment. These works makes it possible to formulate hypotheses on a problematic concerning the nature and the phases of the occupation of this region. This research is situated in a context of agrarian archeology. The general question treated is that of rural planning works that landscape observation can provide.

Le présent travail vise, par une documentation renouvelée, à comprendre la relation entre une puissance moyenne mondiale, puissance agissante au Moyen-Orient, et une puissance moyenne arabe. L’arrivée au pouvoir de Jacques Chirac en 1995 correspond à la mise en oeuvre d’une nouvelle politique envers Damas. Hafez Al-Assad perçoit l’opportunité de cette ouverture. Les rapports entre les deux pays permettent de nombreuses réalisations : imposition d’une vision commune sur la scène régionale face à la volonté américaine, modération de la politique de nuisance syrienne, ou encore mise en place d’une coopération pour une réforme administrative en Syrie. Mais ils sont également confrontés à plusieurs défis : le changement de président en Syrie, les tensions libanaises ou encore la guerre en Irak. Ainsi, à partir de la fin de l’année 2003, les relations franco-syriennes glissent sur un terrain nouveau. Faisant le constat de résultats insuffisants, notamment sur le terrain libanais, et de l’incapacité syrienne à prendre en compte la nouvelle configuration née de l’intervention américaine en Irak, la France utilise le cadre multilatéral onusien pour faire pression sur Damas. Un bilatéral minimal et conflictuel se cristallise alors autour de l’intérêt qu’ont les deux pays pour le Liban. Après l’assassinat de Rafic Hariri en 2015, ce bilatéral se judiciarise. Ces fluctuations des relations franco-syriennes nous ont conduits à réinterroger la notion de bilatéral. Nous avons proposé le concept de « bilatéralisme de levier » : il s’agit de l’instrumentalisation de la relation entre deux pays pour des objectifs indirects. En nourrissant des relations bilatérales et en mettant en place une habitude de traiter avec l’autre, la France et la Syrie cherchent en réalité à obtenir des gains et une position sur la scène régionale ou internationale. Ce détournement de la relation bilatérale explique qu’elle n’ait pas pu s’inscrire dans le temps long. / The objective of the present thesis is, through the use of renewed documentation, to understand the relationship between a medium-sized, global power, active in the Middle-East, and a medium-sized Arab power. The beginning of Jacques Chirac’s presidency in 1995 corresponded to the implementation of a new policy towards Damascus. Hafez Al-Asad understood the opportunity which this opening-up afforded. Relations between the two countries thus allowed for many realizations : the imposition of a common vision on the regional scene in the face of American will, a moderation of Syrian trouble-making policies, or the implementation of cooperation in the area of Syrian administrative reform. France and Syria were however also confronted with several challenges, such as the changing of presidents in Syria, Lebanese tensions or war in Iraq. As a result, by the end of 2003, Franco-Syrian relations entered a new phase. Taking stock of insufficient results, in particular concerning Lebanon as well as Syria’s incapacity to take into account the new configuration born out of American intervention in Iraq, France used the multilateral framework of the United Nations to put pressure on Damascus. A minimal and fraught bilateral relationship crystallized around the interest which both countries had in Lebanon. In the wake of the assassination of Rafiq Hariri in 2015, this bilateral relationship acquired a judicial dimension. These fluctuations in Franco-Syrian relations have led me to reconsider the notion of bilateralism. I thus propose the concept of “leveraged bilateralism”, which refers to the using of the relationship between two countries for indirect objectives. By nourishing bilateral relations and by establishing a habit of interaction with one another, France and Syria sought in reality to obtain gains and a position on the regional or international scene. This hijacking of the bilateral relationship is the reason why the latter was not able to establish itself over the long run.

Since 1976, Syria has suffered two separate but in nature similar rebellions which was different in terms of spreading, impact and size. The existing literature fails to compare these rebellions and answer the question on how two similar uprising can produce different outcomes. The objective of this study is to answer that question and produce a foundation that is usable when studying future uprisings in the Middle East and Syria. This is a qualitative research that uses multiple case studies that are compared in order to fulfil the objective of this study. The research if a desk study and uses an abductive approach. Two different theoretical concepts have been used in order to understand the dynamics that shaped the two rebellions. These are Frank H. Zimmerman's theory on why insurgencies fail and Frederick D. Miller's model of movement decline. The authors pinpoint different factors that makes a uprising prone to failure or success and these factors has been used as a lens when analysing the findings of this essay. The findings of this essay suggest that key differences that made an impact on the conflicts where the amount of local support, external support and the role of social media. In order to fully understand the dynamics that shapes modern rebellions, further research on the role of globalisation and social media is conflict must be conducted.

The main argument of this thesis is that Turkey, Syria and Iraq can solve their disagreements about water allocation, if these countries can develop broader cooperation framework comprising other water related development sectors such as energy, agriculture, health, environment industry, trade and transportation. Within this context, the key questions that should be raised are, &ldquo / what is the theoretical framework related to solving water issue, what are the relations and developments among the riparians concerning water problem, can the cooperative cases such as the Nile Basin Initiative and the South African Development Community be example for the cooperative efforts in the Euphrates-Tigris River Basin, how have the political and economic relations developed since the 1990s among the riparian countries of the Euphrates-Tigris river basin?&rdquo / Accordingly the thesis contains four main parts. The first chapter will be setting of a theoretical framework related to solving the water problem in the region. In the second part of the study, water problem among Turkey, Iraq and Syria will be evaluated in general through historical analysis of the water negotiations and positions of the riparians. In the third part, basic approach in studying this subject is to draw lessons from cooperative cases such as the Nile Basin Initiative and the South African Development Community. The last chapter will be the analyses of Turkish-Syrian and Turkish-Iraqi relations focusing on the water related development sectors such as energy, agriculture, industry, trade, transportation, health, and environment. Accordingly, this thesis has reached to the following conclusions: First, Water is a vital resourses for Turkey, Syria and Iraq. It is not only important for the agricultural production but for hydroelectric power generation, as well. Second, from the point of view of Syria and Iraq, the main reason for this negative atmosphere among the riparians of the Euphrates and Tigris river system is indicated to be the GAP (Southeastern Anatolia Project) which was started by Turkey as a major development project and Syria and Iraq, as downstream countries, accused Turkey to hamper the future agricultural projects of both Syria and Iraq. Third, the 1998 Adana Protocol and Bashar Assad&rsquo / s becoming president in the year 2000 can be regarded as the turning points of the beginning of the development in the relations between Turkey and Syria in the positive direction. The relations between Turkey and Iraq, which were nearly stopped in the Gulf War in 1991, have started to warm up after the second operation in 2003. Fourth, the developing relations carry great importance for the solution of the ongoing water problem among Turkey, Syria and Iraq.

In this paper I look at the evolving role of Russia in the Middle East, analyzing transfers of Russian military equipment to its main ally in the region, the Syrian Arab Republic. By using Syria as a case study, I provide insight as to the evolution of Russia’s Middle Eastern policy, examine the motivations that play a role in Moscow’s decision-making process and the discuss the changes that have taken place in the Middle East military landscape. My research illustrates that Russia is a prestige seeking state that is motivated my domestic issues. Furthermore, sixty years of arms transfers indicate that Russia has never sold game-changing weapons to Syria as this would be counterproductive to Moscow’s main goal in the region: the brokering of a new Middle East peace deal. / text

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

The objective of this thesis is to analyze the place of Syria in the Arab-Israeli conflict and in the Middle East peace process in the period between the 1948 war and 2000. In this context, the aim is to find out an answer to the question of how Syria acquired its central place in the conflict and a critical role in the peace process. Accordingly, the thesis consists of three main parts. In the first part of the study, the central place of Syria in the wars against Israel is examined. In the second part of the study, the challenges Syria faced during the 1980s and 1990s, and how these challenges affected the Syrian position in its relations with Israel are discussed. In the third part, the critical role of Syria in the bilateral negotiations between Syria and Israel is scrutinized. Finally, this thesis is concluded in with the developments occured in the Middle East in the period between 2000 and today.

Thesis (Master of Military Art and Science)-Army Command and General Staff College, 2007. / Title from title page of PDF document (viewed on: Jan 12, 2010). Includes bibliographical references.