Clarke Forum Salon: A Post-Assad Syria: An Economic Analysis of Reconstruction
Date: Wednesday, February 25, 2026
Time: 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.
RSVP: By Friday, February 20, 2026 to clarkeforum@dickinson.edu. Space is limited. More information will be sent once we receive your RSVP.
The Syrian Civil War (2011 – 2024) ravaged the once vibrant nation of Syria. The war’s impact is clear in the destruction of major cities like Aleppo, Homs, Raqqa, and parts of Damascus. It created a refugee crisis that challenged the current refugee system and contributed towards the far-right gaining ground in Europe as groups continue pointing to immigration as a cause for alarm.1 An unstable Syria creates a power vacuum that hostile non-state actors could seek to exploit just as ISIS did during the Syrian Civil War. The security of Syria is crucial and has security implications globally, but how can the nation rebuild after such destruction?
The civil war shattered the Syrian economy ,reflected in the freefall of Syria’s GDP after 2011 and its skyrocketing inflation.2 Rebuilding the country is estimated to cost around $216B USD, with nearly one third of the country’s pre-conflict gross capital stock damaged.3 Leading the overthrow of the decades-long Assad regime, the current Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa now faces a country in dire need of reconstruction at virtually every level of society.
In this salon we will discuss the reconstruction of Syria looking at the country’s potential for an economic revival and reintegration into the global economic system. In analyzing the factors and processes that Syria, and the international community need to engage in, this discussion aims for to discuss the opportunities and challenges to reconstruction. Rebuilding the nation and restoring the Syrian state is key for the safety and prosperity of Syria’s displaced population, the prevention of rouge groups gaining territory, and global security and this salon will challenge participants to think about how sustainable redevelopment can be achieved.
This discussion will be facilitated by Ian Chavez ‘28 and Professor of International Studies Fatou Thioune.
Required Materials:
- Watch: “Assad Is Out, Rebels Are In: What’s Next for Syria and the Middle East” from the Wall Street Journal at https://youtu.be/3HSZDjnChAw?si=I7vE99HoyV_Ssx6r (7 minute video)
- Read: “Syria, in Ruins” from the New York Times at https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/19/world/europe/syria-aleppo-damascus-damage-reconstruction.html
- Read: “Syria Needs a Reconstruction Plan” by the Carnegie Middle East Center at https://carnegieendowment.org/middle-east/diwan/2025/10/syria-needs-a-reconstruction-plan?lang=en
Additional Sources:
1. “Beyond the Fall: Rebuilding Syria After Assad” by Refugees International at https://www.refugeesinternational.org/reports-briefs/beyond-the-fall-rebuilding-syria-after-assad/