A monthly magazine on Syrian politics and society that cuts through the noise

Politics & Power

Performance legitimacy

Polling shows growing dissatisfaction. Privatisation might make things worse

It was former British Prime Minister Harold Wilson who coined the phrase “a week is a long time in politics.” It may have referred to the economic crisis of 1964, but it applies just as much to Syria …

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Justice, Rights & Civil Society
Guided freedom
How foreign journalists can - or cannot - work in Syria
Local Dynamics
Classroom revolution?
What education reveals about the state of Syria’s transition
Economy, Aid & Reconstruction
Growth on paper
Syria’s 2026 budget promises recovery but puts pressure on the business sector
Interviews
The Truth Guardians
A conversation with Farouq Habib
May 2026 issue →
Issue 35

Opinion

Voices that sharpen Syria's public debate

Hussam Eddin Mohammad

The politics of sport in Sharaa’s Syria

The Syrian government is using sport to build legitimacy and a youthful image. That’s easier said than done in a deeply divided country. 

02. May 2026

Ahmad Omar

Ghassan Abboud and the search for recognition

In today’s Syria, everyone wants recognition. From billionaires to forgotten defectors and anonymous survivors, the struggle over who deserves honour for their participation in the revolution is getting increasingly public – and fractious.

30. April 2026

Hiba Ezzideen

Women are not a minority

Half the population is systematically sidelined. Power structures and discourse is turning women into a political minority. 

22. April 2026

Hussam Eddin Mohammad

Syria as a Turkish TV drama

From Ottoman epics to borderland dramas, stories reflect politics but fail to offer closure

19. April 2026

Mohamad Khir Alwazir

Are Syrians today free?

The fall of Assad may have ended a regime but not the deeper habits of fear, obedience, and exclusion that sustained it. True freedom requires dismantling the cultural and institutional roots of despotism itself.

11. April 2026

Yaser al-Daher

We need to talk about corruption

Ask any Syrian about his daily experiences, and corruption will come up quickly. It feels all too familiar.

09. April 2026

Mona Abboud

Buying a shirt in Syria is a lesson in mental arithmetic

What should have been a quick trip to buy a child’s shirt became a frustrating exercise in currency chaos. Welcome to everyday life in Syria, where everything is more complicated than it should be.

06. April 2026

Hussam Eddin Mohammad

Larijani’s final dialogue

A Persian novel, a medieval mystic, and a final conversation between Ali Larijani and Alexander Dugin converge on Syria as a stage of recurring end times, where ancient metaphysics and modern geopolitics collide.

04. April 2026
More opinions

What (some) Syrians think

The April wave is out! Fresh findings from surveys conducted in Damascus, Rural Damascus, and Homs. Syria Poll examines how residents assess their living conditions, government performance, and recent political developments.

Read the survey results
More surveys

Previous issues

  • April 2026

    Issue 34
  • March 2026

    Issue 33
  • February 2026

    Issue 32
  • January 2026

    Issue 31
  • December 2025

    Issue 30
View archive

About

Syria in Transition is a monthly magazine on Syrian politics, society, economics and culture. Produced by an experienced and diverse team of independent journalists, researchers, and linguists, it challenges lazy narratives, connects the dots, and stimulates debate on the issues that matter.

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