The Seventh Conference of the ACSS, “Devastation, Imaginaries and Knowledge: Regional Junctures and Global Repercussions”
Beirut, Lebanon – 2025
Beirut, Lebanon:
The Syrian Center for Policy Research SCPR participated in the seventh conference of the Arab Council for the Social Sciences, “Devastation, Imaginaries and Knowledge: Regional Junctures and Global Repercussions” with a research paper titled “Integrated Development Nodes and Alternative Policies“.
Location: Crowne Plaza Hotel, Hamra Street, Beirut
Date: May 15-18, 2025
Participation was open to the public, and several sessions were broadcast live on the Council’s Facebook page. Translation into Arabic, English, and French was available.
For the full program, visit the conference page here.
Paper Title: Integrated Development Nodes and Alternative Policies
The paper examined the development situation in Syria during the years of conflict, assessing the extensive damage to the social, economic, and institutional infrastructure resulting from 14 years of conflict. It also highlighted the severe economic deterioration, high unemployment and poverty rates, the devaluation of the Syrian pound, rising prices, and a decline in the Human Development Index.
The paper utilized an integrated analytical framework that combines the concept of comprehensive development, the political economy of development methodology, and participatory research.
The paper reviewed the deteriorating development situation in Syria, including deprivation of education, the violation of the right to health, food insecurity, high levels of poverty, and environmental pollution.
Furthermore, it addressed the current situation after the fall of the tyrannical regime, with the new regime emphasizing the adoption of a free market economy, moving toward privatization, and reducing the state’s role in the economy.
The paper proposed an “Integrated Development Nodes” strategy as an alternative to overcoming the effects of conflict. This strategy is based on creating new incentives, relationships, and institutions, strengthening relationships between development-minded actors, and organically engaging with society.
The strategy is based on democracy and economic development, conducting a comprehensive review of the market concept in neoliberal policies, achieving sectoral and geographical integration, giving civil society a greater role in the economic process, and encouraging a social solidarity economy.
The paper emphasized that the proposed model represents a rebellion against the prevailing model in the region, which is development with political authoritarianism. The proposed model does not eliminate the market, but rather places it at the service of society by prioritizing justice, solidarity, and environmental sustainability over profitability and competitiveness.
It also achieves geographical integration, focuses on the areas most affected by the conflict, promotes participatory governance of economic projects implemented by civil society and the small and medium-sized private sector, ensures effective community participation in the project planning and implementation process, enhances opportunities for accountability and transparency, and reduces the potential for inequality and discrimination.
The Seventh Conference of the ACSS, “Devastation, Imaginaries and Knowledge: Regional Junctures and Global Repercussions”
Beirut, Lebanon – May 15, 2025
The Seventh Conference of the ACSS, “Devastation, Imaginaries and Knowledge: Regional Junctures and Global Repercussions”
Beirut, Lebanon:
The Syrian Center for Policy Research SCPR participated in the seventh conference of the Arab Council for the Social Sciences, “Devastation, Imaginaries and Knowledge: Regional Junctures and Global Repercussions” with a research paper titled “Integrated Development Nodes and Alternative Policies“.
Location: Crowne Plaza Hotel, Hamra Street, Beirut
Date: May 15-18, 2025
Participation was open to the public, and several sessions were broadcast live on the Council’s Facebook page. Translation into Arabic, English, and French was available.
For the full program, visit the conference page here.
Paper Title: Integrated Development Nodes and Alternative Policies
The paper examined the development situation in Syria during the years of conflict, assessing the extensive damage to the social, economic, and institutional infrastructure resulting from 14 years of conflict. It also highlighted the severe economic deterioration, high unemployment and poverty rates, the devaluation of the Syrian pound, rising prices, and a decline in the Human Development Index.
The paper utilized an integrated analytical framework that combines the concept of comprehensive development, the political economy of development methodology, and participatory research.
The paper reviewed the deteriorating development situation in Syria, including deprivation of education, the violation of the right to health, food insecurity, high levels of poverty, and environmental pollution.
Furthermore, it addressed the current situation after the fall of the tyrannical regime, with the new regime emphasizing the adoption of a free market economy, moving toward privatization, and reducing the state’s role in the economy.
The paper proposed an “Integrated Development Nodes” strategy as an alternative to overcoming the effects of conflict. This strategy is based on creating new incentives, relationships, and institutions, strengthening relationships between development-minded actors, and organically engaging with society.
The strategy is based on democracy and economic development, conducting a comprehensive review of the market concept in neoliberal policies, achieving sectoral and geographical integration, giving civil society a greater role in the economic process, and encouraging a social solidarity economy.
The paper emphasized that the proposed model represents a rebellion against the prevailing model in the region, which is development with political authoritarianism. The proposed model does not eliminate the market, but rather places it at the service of society by prioritizing justice, solidarity, and environmental sustainability over profitability and competitiveness.
It also achieves geographical integration, focuses on the areas most affected by the conflict, promotes participatory governance of economic projects implemented by civil society and the small and medium-sized private sector, ensures effective community participation in the project planning and implementation process, enhances opportunities for accountability and transparency, and reduces the potential for inequality and discrimination.
