The Role of Religion in Rebuilding the State of Syria: A Case Study of Sunni Islam

Abstract

Religious institutions are powerful actors in war torn societies and can play important roles in rebuilding countries after peace arrives. Despite their influence international actors involved in statebuilding rarely engage with them. This article builds upon an approach developed by the author in assessing the capacity of religious institutions to contribute to post-conflict statebuilding by applying it to Syria's indigenous Sunni institutions. By understanding the mechanisms through which Syria's Sunni religious institutions can contribute to statebuilding policy makers can better plan their engagement with these important figures in society.

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Denis Dragovic

Denis Dragovic is an Honorary Senior Fellow at the University of Melbourne with experience working for over a decade as a consultant to various UN agencies and as a senior leader with international NGOs in conflict and post-conflict environments in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. He holds a Ph.D. in political theology from the University of St Andrews and is the author of Religion and Post-conflict Statebuilding: Roman Catholic and Sunni Islamic Perspectives.