Arab Autumn: Syria
Following last year’s ‘Arab Spring’ uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad launched a violent attack on Syrian activists who presented similar demands: for economic prosperity, political freedom and civil rights.
In the ensuing civil war, thousands of people have died, and many more have fled to bordering countries. The Syrian government continues to claim that the opposition are terrorists trying to destabilise the country – and the opposition says this is merely a tactic employed to justify the regime’s attacks. Meanwhile, global leaders struggle to find a diplomatic solution for this war-torn country.
Join host Sally Warhaft and guests Rodger Shanahan, Dr Sally Totman and Brian Stoddart as they discuss the complex situation in Syria – and what, if any, role Australia should play as a ‘good global citizen’.
Featuring
Sally Warhaft is a Melbourne broadcaster, anthropologist and writer. She is the host of The Fifth Estate, the Wheeler Centre’s live series focusing on journalism, politics, media, and international relations, and The Leap Year, a Wheeler Centre podcast about Australians’ lives in the fog of ... Read more
Sally is Senior Lecturer in Middle East Studies and the Convener of the Middle East Studies program at Deakin. In addition, Sally is the Chair of the Faculty of Arts & Education Academic Progress and Discipline Committee and co-founder of the Australia Middle East Research Forum (AMERF). She joi... Read more
Dr Rodger Shanahan is a non-resident fellow at the Lowy Institute for International Policy and part-time member of the Refugee Review Tribunal. A former army officer, he had extensive service within the Parachute Battalion Group and has had operational service with the UN in South Lebanon and Syria.... Read more
Brian Stoddart, emeritus professor at La Trobe University, where he served as vice-chancellor, is now an international consultant on higher education reform – work which took him to Syria immediately before the current disturbances. He is also an online columnist for Global Policy Journal, pro... Read more
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