About the Podcast:

After a break, the podcast Syria; Alternative Dialogues returns in a new episode to discuss the February 6th earthquake that struck Syria and southern Turkey. Our guest for this episode is the researcher Ayman Aldassouky.

In this episode, we explore the earthquake’s impact from a research perspective within the context of the Syrian conflict. Our guest discussed the effects and consequences of the earthquake based on his research experience, emphasizing the importance of research ethics and how to interact with researchers and local communities during natural disasters. He also explores the response of various actors following the earthquake, including political, civil, and Humanitarian entities, as well as research centres.

Aldassouky highlights the role of civil society organizations in the aftermath of the earthquake and the effectiveness of their response compared to the international organisation’s response.

He demonstrates the need to shift the nature of the response towards a developmental approach and empower local communities as partners in the response efforts. Aldassouky explains how the earthquake incident can serve as an opportunity for dialogue and collaboration among Syrians, offering a set of recommendations for those working in civil society and the research sector.

He also emphasizes the importance of fostering solidarity among local communities and Syrians everywhere, advocating for the integration of psychological support programs, community initiatives, and advocacy campaigns that prioritize the Syrian human being, regardless of the areas of control.

About the Guest, Ayman Aldassouky:

Ayman Aldassouky is a researcher at Omran Center for Strategic Studies, holding a Master’s degree in International Relations from Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli University.

 His notable studies include:

1- The Economic Networks of the Fourth Division During the Syrian Conflict.
2- Competition, Collusion and Smuggling: Syria’s Borders with Turkey and Iraq.
3- The Families of Rastan and the Syrian Regime: Transformation and Continuity.
4- Local Administration Management: Insights from Local Governance Elections.

Host: Rabie Nasser, Researcher and Co-founder, Syrian Center for Policy Research (SCPR).

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