L’objectif de cette thèse est d’étudier, à travers deux quotidiens libanais, An-Naharet As-Safir, les négociations de paix entre le Liban, la Syrie et Israël, de 1991 à 2000, période sensible de l’histoire contemporaine libanaise, phase d’après-guerre marquée par une forte influence politique syrienne sur le pays et intervalle stratégique quant au processus de paix lancé entre Israël et les pays arabes. Il s’agit d’analyser l’évolution de la couverture de ces deux quotidiens, représentatifs de la presse quotidienne nationale libanaise et des divergences politiques que connaît le pays dans le traitement d’un sujet géopolitique sensible qui touche à la souveraineté du Liban, ainsi qu’aux relations entre la Syrie et Israël. Pour ce faire, nous avons choisi un corpus qui couvre l’ensemble de la décennie, en se limitant à la Une de chaque journal. Afin de réaliser cette étude avec le recul scientifique nécessaire, nous avons mis au point un logiciel de tri spécialement conçu à cette fin. Il permet de mettre en place une grille d’organisation et d’analyse des informations textuelles et de la production médiatique.L’étude du corpus a été faite dans un premier temps de manière horizontale, afin de croiser les propos des différents acteurs et d’effectuer les mises en parallèle entre le traitement des deux quotidiens. Elle a ensuite été poursuivie de manière verticale, au sein de chaque journal et pour chaque auteur, dans le but de déterminer l’évolution des discours politiques et journalistiques retenus, tout en croisant les différents propos pour en faire ressortir les divergences et les convergences, ainsi que les constantes et les variantes au fil du temps. / The main purpose of this thesis is to study, peace negotiations between Lebanon,Syria and Israel from 1991 to 2000, via their coverage in two Lebanese news papers An-Naharand As-Safir. This was a tense period in the recent history of Lebanon; it was marked by thepolitical influence of Syria on Lebanon, and a strategic period during which the peace processbetween Israel and Arab countries began. It consists primarily in an analysis of the changingnature of the coverage and discourse of two major Lebanese daily newspapers - An-Nahar andAs-Safir. The “copy” here analyzed related to a sensitive geopolitical issue affecting Lebanese independence and relations between Syria and Israel. The survey spans à decade: it is limited to front-page coverage of each newspaper. In order to examine the subject scientifically, aspecific software was specially designed and developed for this purpose. A matrix fororganizing and analyzing textual information and media production was devised. First thestudy was affected horizontally, in order to compare various actors and their related newspaper coverage. Then the study was elaborated in a vertical manner, i.e. by handlingeach newspaper and each author separately, in order to establish the evolution of different discourse. This was achieved by cross-comparing differences and similarities in the discourse,and constants and variables over time.

M.A. / This study investigates the connection between the biblical references to the Gospels in Actae Thoma, or the Apocryphal Acts of Judas Thomas, and the text of the Vetus Syria. The main objective is to verify whether the author of Actae Thoma was dependent on the Vetus Syria which was one of the largest and oldest Syriac text families containing the separate Gospels. An independent study in this regard has not yet been undertaken. Both Klijn and Burkitt touched on the biblical references in Actae Thoma but they did not attempt to investigate the references as the sole object of their research. The present study attempts to investigate all the biblical references in order to verify whether the author of Actae Thoma was indeed dependent on the Vetus Syria. The function of these references within the new context of Actae Thoma is also investigated. The value of the study lies in its contribution to our understanding of the Syriac textual history and of the function of these references. It seems that they were used to propagate the ideals of asceticism, to enhance the figure of the Apostle and bring the reader under the impression that he finds himself in a Biblical milieu. A basis for further study is also provided.

Abstract  Master's essay by Pawan Mostafa Autumn term 2017. Supervisor: Magnus Lindh.     A foreign policy analysis of influencing factors explaining Turkey's changed policy towards Syria                                                       This study searching an analytical explanation of factors of influence that possibly will have supported the way Turkey's foreign policy has changed in Syria. The study covers a main question and three different theoretical questions.      Charles F. Hermann's model for foreign policy change is used to produce results. In this context, the current study argues that the Arab Spring has been an important part of the changes in the regional security structure and made these changes the most important determinant of Turkish foreign policy. It further examines the leadership of Turkish foreign policy, the restructuring within the country and external shock as factors that perceive and convey change and lead to results. In this regard, this study focuses primarily on the explanation of the source of change and the intermediate step of the above-mentioned factors of influence.      The empirical purpose of this study is to develop an analytical explanation of the change in Turkish foreign policy in the context of the Arab Spring 2011, specifically focusing on the period 2015 to the now. By applying the explanatory model for foreign policy change in a qualitative content analysis, the study aims at contributing to the empirical studies of foreign policy change. In addition to the empirical goals, this study also has theoretical motives. The theoretical purpose is to contribute to the studies of foreign policy change. Taking into consideration previous literature on foreign policy change is an important dimension that gives the study a functional alternative, partly based on Hermann's three-step model. In addition, the study aims at contributing to the scientific literature, as it combines foreign policy analysis (FPA) with a focus on the actor's devices and analysis of international relations (IR) with a focus on system or structure. / Sammandrag        Magisteruppsats av Pawan Mostafa VT 2017. Handledare: Magnus Lindh. En Utrikespolitisk analys av påverkningsfaktorer bakom Turkiets ändrade policy gentemot Syrien       Den här studien söker en analytisk förklaring av påverkningsfaktorer som kan ha legat bakom hur Turkiets utrikespolitik förändrats vad gäller Syrien. Studien omfattar en övergripande forskningsfråga och tre olika teoretiskt ställda frågor.       Charles F. Hermanns modell för utrikespolitisk förändring används för att få fram resultat. I detta sammanhang hävdar den nuvarande studien att den arabiska våren har varit en viktig del av förändringarna i den regionala säkerhetsstrukturen och gjort dessa förändringar till den viktigaste determinanten inför den turkiska utrikespolitiken. Den undersöker vidare den turkiska utrikespolitikens ledarskap, omstruktureringen inom landet och extern chock som faktorer som uppfattar och förmedlar förändring och leder till resultat. I det avseendet fokuserar denna studie främst på förklaringen av förändringskällan och det mellanliggande steget i de ovannämnda påverkningsfaktorerna.       Det empiriska syftet med denna studie är att utveckla en analytisk förklaring av förändringen i turkisk utrikespolitik i samband med den arabiska våren 2011, specifikt med fokus på perioden 2015 till nutid. Genom att tillämpa den förklarande modellen för utrikespolitisk förändring i en kvalitativ innehållsanalys syftar studien till att bidra till de empiriska studierna av utrikespolitisk förändring. Förutom de empiriska målen har den här studien också teoretiska motiv. Det teoretiska syftet är att bidra till studierna av utrikespolitisk förändring. Att ta hänsyn till tidigare litteratur om utrikespolitisk förändring är en viktig dimension som ger studien ett funktionellt alternativ, delvis baserat på Hermanns trestegsmodell. Dessutom avser studien att bidra till den vetenskapliga litteraturen, eftersom den kombinerar utrikespolitisk analys (UPA) med inriktning på skådespelarens anordningar och analys av internationella relationer (IR) med inriktning på system eller struktur.

Thesis focuses on quantitative and qualitative analysis of incoming migrants and their human capital. Through this analysis and economic calculations, final fiscal deficit is revealed. Research is conducted by analyzing publicly available statistical data and submitting surveys to ministries and nonprofit organizations. On these data, model is bulit involving broad scope of variables for accurate quantification of any implications of the migration crisis. Main contribution of this thesis is building a model with unique basis of data providing domestic fiscal implications of a European migration crisis.

Cette thèse a pour sujet l'étude des céramiques d'époque islamique mises au jour par la DGAMS dans les fouilles des citadelles de Syrie du nord : les forteresses bâties sur le versant occidental du Djebel Bahra, Qalaat al-Marqab et le Crac des Chevaliers ; celles érigées à l'intérieur du Djebel Bahra, Massyaf et Qalaat Abou Qobeis ; et celles implantées dans la vallée de l'Oronte, Qalaat Shaizar, Shumimis, Salamiyé. Ces châteaux ont été occupés par les Croisés, les Ismaéliens, les Ayyoubides de la fin du XIe à la fin du XIIIe siècle, avant d'être pris et contrôlés par les Mamelouks jusqu'au début du XVe siècle. La confrontation des lots de céramiques trouvées dans ces places fortifiées mettra en évidence les particularismes géographiques (forteresses côtières, de montagne et de plaine), culturels et économiques qui ont présidé à la constitution de ces ensembles. / This thesis is about the study of Islamic ceramics excavated by the DGAMS in the citadels of northern Syria: the fortresses built on the western slope of Jebel Bahra, Qalaat al-Marqab and Qalaat al-Hosn; those erected within the Jebel Bahra, Abu Qobeis and Massyaf; and those located in the valley of the Orontes, Qalaat Shaizar, Shumimis and Salamiye. These castles were occupied by the Crusaders, the Ismailis and the Ayyubids from the late eleventh to the late thirteenth century, before being taken and controlled by the Mamluks until the early fifteenth century. The confrontation of ceramic assemblages found in these fortified places will highlight the geographical, cultural and economic particularities that led to the creation of these assemblages.

This thesis deals with the current issue of refugees on the background of the Syrian civil war and its consequences for stability in the region. With regard to the fact that the crisis in Syria is felt throughout the entire Middle East region, the aim of this work is to map the impact of the conflict on neighboring countries of Syria. Based on the hypothesis, the effects of civil war and refugee phenomenon destabilize the whole region; therefore, my research question concerns political and social implications of the Syrian crisis in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. The work also reveals the vulnerability of these countries, which find themselves in a dangerous situation resulting from the Syrian events. In terms of methodology, this work uses a variety of methods. My research relies especially on the methods of research, description, comparison, analysis and synthesis, historical method and interview method as well. Based on these methods, I will answer the research question through a wide range of impacts, covering security, political, social, ethnic, and economic issues of the analyzed countries.

Ever since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war two countries have been outspoken about the situation, Russia and the United States. As the conflict has developed these two actors have been active within the conflict both militarily and diplomatically. This outlines the research problem, why these actors have had an interest in Syria. The aim of this research is to find explanations of why the two countries have acted like they have in the conflict. The actions and events are analyzed through several concepts drawn from two international relations theories, namely neoliberalism and neorealism. Some core concepts of the theories are operationalized into several indicators which make up the model used in the analysis. Furthermore, the thesis is considered as being a most similar comparative case study using qualitative methods. The main findings in the analysis shows that many of the actions by both Russia and the United States can be explained through both theories. Neorealism shows of being more suitable when explaining military events and neoliberalism is found to be better at explaining diplomatic or non-military matters.

The concept of ontological security has grown extensively in the International Relationsliterature, owing to the new explanations it generates for states’ security- and identity-relatedbehavior. In the process, however, the concept has become sprawling, vague and incoherent,due to the multitude of different understandings of the concept. To improve the concept’sadequacy, counter the risk of conceptual stretching, and provide the foundation for a commonresearch agenda, this essay constructs a typology to divide and classify the ontological securityliterature in IR. The typology’s main contribution is the dimension of ontological insecuritymechanisms, understood as the different ways that the ontological security of an agent can bethreatened, and the different types of existential anxieties that follow. To test and illustrate thistypology, the essay conducts an empirical case study of Russia’s engagement in the conflict inSyria since 2015. The results strongly indicate the presence of all ontological insecuritymechanisms, thus clearly implying that Russian behavior in Syria is driven by ontologicalsecurity concerns. The findings also demonstrate the typology’s usefulness and fruitfulness inmore closely specifying the nature of the ontological insecurity in particular cases.

Protests have been important social phenomena for the wider Middle East, especially since the Arab Spring, with the potential to achieve dramatic change. Understanding the nature of uprisings in the region is important for our understanding of the present and the future. To this end, this thesis tried to make sense of the dynamics and processes that led to the emergence of three protests in the region, the 25th of January Revolution in Egypt, the Syrian Uprising, and the Gezi protest. It tried to analyze the different aspects in which they were comparable. Furthermore, it tried to analyze their representation in the media by uncovering the differences and similarities between the discourse of two Turkish newspapers, Sabah and Cumhuriyet, in their columns and news reports regarding these instances of protests. Critical discourse analysis was used alongside comparative case study to see the differences between social reality and the discourse of the newspapers. Also, the thesis tried to explain the discrepancies and commonalities between the discourse of the newspapers. When the protests were compared with the help of the existing literature, it was seen that the protests had some similarities in the aspects such as causes of protest, the performance of the protestors, and state reaction. Moreover,...

Analysis of ISIS's Insurgency through the theory of Revolutionary Warfare, by Amerigo Piunti. Ever since the collapse of the brutal Ba'athist regime of Saddam Hussein, the Sunnis of Iraq were struggling as a minority in a nation governed by Shia. The government of Baghdad was constantly ignoring Sunni's grievances, and for many experts, this aspect was a driving point that led to the establishment of the IS Caliphate. Contrary to popular belief, the so-called Islamic State appeared only for the first time in October 2006. Abū Musʿab al-Zarqāwī was the founder and first tenacious leader of the special detachment called "Al-Qaeda in Iraq." This group later on mutated itself into the notorious Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, and it obtained support from international sympathizers and local citizens. The terror group successfully recruited local tribes, experienced fighters and leaders, previous members of the Baathist regime, and it even cooperated with other Jihadists groups. The terror group itself also heavily relied on the spread of Jihadist-Salafist propaganda and eventually created an urgent need for a drastic change in society. The group then expanded its insurgency activities towards Syria, and after only eight years of fighting, it successfully covered each of the necessary stages to...