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It has never been separated! The role of religious orders in unmaking the Turkish-Syrian border in Syria's Jazira Region
Abstract by Ms. Bilal Salayme
Coauthors: Osama Seyhali
On Session XIII-08  (Constructing, Shifting and Breaching Borders)

On Sunday, December 4 at 1:30 pm

2022 Annual Meeting

Abstract
The political fluidity and reshaping of statehood in the post-Arab Spring era have paved the way to problematize the role of borders, and trans-border activities. This trend was observed in Syria, where the East of Euphrates is undergoing a political transformation. In this context, more research has focused on the 'co-production of borders between state and society (Tejel and Oztan 2022; 2022). This research looks at the role of religious Sufi orders in the social 'non’-construction of the international border between Syria and Turkey, mainly the area east of the Euphrates, or "Syria's Jazira region". It focuses on the historical trans-border role of two Kurdish religious Sufi orders across the Syrian-Turkish borders following the independence of Syria and until the popular uprising of 2011. In this regard, it focuses on the trans-border activities and social roles of the Khaznawi order (which was more influential to the west and south of Qamishli/Nusaybin), and the religious house of Hakki (which was more influential to the east of Qamishli/Nusaybin). Drawing on primary and secondary Arabic, Kurdish, Turkish, alongside English sources ((Pierret 2013; Böttcher 2004; Aras 2019; Akyüz 2021)); alongside interviews with senior members of the two orders on the two sides of the border, the papers offers original insights in this regard. It shows how the two orders continue to play a role in the two sides of the border through the findings of the paper: 1) complement the literature on the social dimension of border constructions in the Middle East, 2) contribute to the literature on Kurdish studies and role of religion in Syria, 3) lastly, it will shed light on the potential role that these order may play in the post-conflict Syria.
Discipline
History
Geographic Area
Syria
Sub Area
19th-21st Centuries