‘Of Refuge and Refugees in the Levant: The Making and “Unmaking” of Syria’

A talk by Professor Dawn Chatty, University of Oxford.

The mass influx of peoples into Syria over the last 150 years, including Circassians, Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jews, Armenian, Albanians, Kosovars, created a modern nation of great cultural hybridity. Until recently this was the source of its openness to contemporary waves of forced migrants including Palestinians, Lebanese, and Iraqis. Now with the tables turned Syrians have sought refuge and sanctuary among its neighbouring states. In this talk Dawn Chatty examines the history of Syria – Bilad-al-Sham – in the late Ottoman Empire and since World War One as it welcomed refugees and other uprooted peoples from across the region. It also draws some provisional conclusions regarding displaced Syrians contemporary welcome in neighbouring states.

MMB is delighted to be co-hosting this talk with the Global Insecurities Centre.