Dr Haian Dukhan | Syria and Middle East Political Scientist

Research and Publications

My research examines tribal politics, identity, sectarianism, and state-society relations in Syria, Iraq, and the wider Middle East. It combines original fieldwork and Arabic-language sources with close attention to how communities navigate conflict and authority.

Books

  1. State and Tribes in Syria: Informal Alliances and Conflict Patterns (Routledge, 2019).
  2. Spoils of War in the Arab East: Reconditioning Society and Polity in Conflict, co-edited with A. al-Azmeh and H. Akdedian (Bloomsbury, 2024).
  3. Kinship in Syria: Reconfiguring Tribal Identity during the Civil War. (Cambridge University Press, contract signed, in preparation).
  4. Routledge Research Handbook of the Levant, co-edited with R. Hinnebusch (Routledge, forthcoming; contract signed, in preparation).
  5. The Demise of Authoritarian Survival in Syria: Ideology, State Fracture, and Regional Reordering, edited (Routledge, forthcoming; contract signed, in preparation).

Journal Articles

  1. Symbolic Infrastructure and Ethno-Religious Mobilisation: The Druze Protests of 2023 in Sweida, Syria. (Under Review).
  2. Mechanisms of Mobilisation Under Authoritarian Rule: The Druze Protest Movement of 2023 in Sweida. (Under review.)
  3. From Regime Change to Containment: Neoclassical Realism in Britain’s Syria Policy (2012–2019). (Under review.)
  4. Singh, D. & Dukhan, H. (2025). From Libya to Syria: Assessing the Impact of the Responsibility to Protect Doctrine on Global Intervention Strategies. Global Responsibility to Protect.
  5. Dukhan, H. & Hawat, S. (2024). Memory, Fear and Manipulated Sectarianism: Christian Views and Intercommunal Dynamics in al-Hasakah amidst the Syrian Uprising. Digest of Middle East Studies, 33(3), 210-224.
  6. Dukhan, H. & Hassan, M. (2024). Explaining Sectarian Dynamics in the Syrian Governorate of Deir ez-Zor through Instrumentalism and Historical Sociology. Middle East Law and Governance.
  7. Dukhan, H. (2024). Processes of Cohesion and Fragmentation among Arab Tribes during the Syrian Civil War. Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies, 26(4), 452-466.
  8. Dukhan, H. (2023). Tribal Mobilisation Forces in Iraq: Subtleties of Formation and Consequential Power Dynamics. British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies, 50(5), 1337-1351.
  9. Dukhan, H. (2023). The ISIS Massacre of the Sheitat Tribe in Deir ez-Zor, August 2014. Journal of Genocide Research, 25(1), 113-121.
  10. Dukhan, H. (2022). Tribal Mobilisation during the Syrian Civil War: The Case of the al-Baqqer Brigade. Small Wars & Insurgencies, 33(7), 1216-1235.
  11. Dukhan, H. (2022). The End of the Dialectical Symbiosis of National and Tribal Identities in Syria. Nations and Nationalism, 28(1), 141-153.
  12. Dukhan, H. (2022). From Shame to Pride: The Politics of Shawi Identity in Contemporary Syria. Middle East Journal of Culture and Communication, 15(4), 377-384.
  13. Dukhan, H. (2021). The Politics of Tribalisation in Syria. International Journal of Middle East Studies, 53(3), 502-506.
  14. Dukhan, H. & Alkheder, M. (2017). A Thematic Analysis of Vocal Hymns (Nasheeds) by the So-Called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Journal for Intelligence, Propaganda and Security Studies, 11(1), 143-152.
  15. Dukhan, H. (2014). Tribes and Tribalism in the Syrian Uprising. Syria Studies, 6(2), 1-28.
  16. Dukhan, H. (2014). Development-Induced Displacement among Syria’s Bedouin. Nomadic Peoples, 18(1), 61-79.

Book Chapters

  1. Dukhan, H., Hawat, S. & Hassan, M. (2025). Beyond Alawites and Sunnis: The Sectarian Mosaic of Deir ez-Zor and al-Hasakah. In R. Hinnebusch & M. Valbjorn (eds.), Sectarianism and the Civil War in Syria.
  2. Dukhan, H. (2024). Devolution of State Power in Syria and Iraq: Tribal Auxiliaries from the Margins to the Centre. In A. al-Azmeh, H. Akdedian & H. Dukhan (eds.), Spoils of War in the Arab East (Bloomsbury).
  3. Dukhan, H. & Belcastro, F. (2023). Tribes and Proxy Wars in the Middle East. In A. Moghadam, V. Rauta & M. Wyss (eds.), Routledge Handbook of Proxy Wars.
  4. Dukhan, H. (2022). Tribes at War: The Struggle for Syria. In J. K. Gani & R. Hinnebusch (eds.), Actors and Dynamics in the Syrian Conflict’s Middle Phase (Routledge).
  5. Dukhan, H. (2016). From Reform to Revolt: Bashar al-Assad and the Arab Tribes in Syria. In A. Ahearn, T. Sternberg & A. Hahn (eds.), Pastoralist Livelihoods in Asian Drylands (White Horse Press).

Policy Reports

  1. Dukhan, H. (2025). Winds of Change: Iraq and Syria in the Aftermath of Assad. Harmoon Center for Contemporary Studies.
  2. Khalaf, R., McGee, T. & Dukhan, H. (2024). Navigating the Impact of Conflict on Syria’s Ethnic, Religious and Tribal Communities (2011-2024). Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung.
  3. Aldoughli, R. & Dukhan, H. (2024). Ambivalent Loyalty and Dissonance: Alawite Community Dynamics amidst the Syrian War. Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung.
  4. Dukhan, H. (2024). America in Syria: Local Perspectives, Long-Term Impacts. Oxford House Research.
  5. Dukhan, H., Alhammad, A. & Shaar, K. (2021). The Kin Who Count: Mapping Raqqa’s Tribal Topology. Middle East Institute.
  6. Dukhan, H. (2020). How the Islamic State Commandeers Syrian Tribal Networks: The Case of Saddam al-Jamal. Jamestown Foundation.
  7. Dukhan, H. & Osann, T. (2020). Local Approaches to IDP Return and Reintegration in Deir ez-Zor and al-Hasakah, Northeast Syria. USAID.
  8. Dukhan, H., Kostrz, M. & Neirat, O. (2017). Political Economy of Value Chains in Southern Syria: Tribal and Armed Group Influence on Dairy, Cattle Feed and Olive Oil Value Chains. USAID.

Book Reviews

  1. Dukhan, H. (2024). Review of The Urbanization of Forced Displacement: UNHCR, Urban Refugees, and the Dynamics of Policy Change. Refuge, 40(1), 1-3.
  2. Dukhan, H. (2021). Review of Social Change in Syria: Family, Village and Political Party. Contemporary Levant.
  3. Dukhan, H. (2020). Review of Joking About Jihad: Comedy and Terror in the Arab World. LSE Middle East Blog.
  4. Dukhan, H. (2020). Review of Tribes and Global Jihadism. Middle East Monitor.

Public and Media Writing

  1. Dukhan, H. & Chatty, D. (2025). The Druze-Bedouin Clashes in Syria Were Not a Sectarian Conflict. Al Jazeera English.
  2. Dukhan, H. (2025). From Sectarianism to Tribalism: Rebuilding Syria’s Power Structures. Arab Center Washington DC.
  3. Dukhan, H. (2025). Syria’s Incomplete Security Transition Has Left Gaps for Islamic State to Exploit. The Conversation.
  4. Dukhan, H. & Neep, D. (2024). Beyond Assad: The Rise of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham and Syria’s Uncertain Future. Crown Center for Middle East Studies, Brandeis University.
  5. Dukhan, H. (2024). Researching Sects and Tribes in the Syrian Conflict: Positionality and Methodological Challenges. SEPAD, Lancaster University.
  6. Dukhan, H. (2023). Opportunistic Strategies in Times of Crisis: The Syrian Government’s Pursuit of Power and Recognition amidst Civil War. Manar Magazine, Cambridge MENA Forum.
  7. Dukhan, H. (2023). Massacre as a Weapon of Terror: ISIS and the Sheitat Tribe in Syria. Teesside Criminology and Criminal Justice.
  8. Dukhan, H. & Aljasem, A. (2022). The Syrian Regime’s Instrumentalisation of Tribes as a Legitimacy Tool in Aleppo. APSA MENA.
  9. Dukhan, H. (2022). From Syria to Ukraine: Why Desperate Mercenaries Fight for Putin. Harmoon Center.
  10. Dukhan, H. (2022). Russia and America: Holding Ground in Syria. Harmoon Center.
  11. Dukhan, H. & Serra, G. (2021). COP26: Syria is a Warning of Climate Disaster the Region Cannot Ignore. Middle East Eye.
  12. Dukhan, H. (2021). America Withdrew from Afghanistan – Is Syria Next? The National Interest.
  13. Dukhan, H. (2021). Oil and Water: What the ‘War on Terror’ Missed. Asia Times.
  14. Dukhan, H. (2021). My Syrian Past and the Privilege of a Vote in Scotland. The National (Scotland).
  15. Dukhan, H. & Alhammad, A. (2021). Iran’s Network of Influence among Syrian Tribes. Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
  16. Dukhan, H. (2021). Damascus or Dar’a? The Rural-Urban Divide in the Syrian Conflict. Berkley Center, Georgetown University.
  17. Dukhan, H. & Alhammad, A. (2021). Fragmentation and Perceived Bias: The Shortcomings of US Policy towards Tribes in Syria. Atlantic Council.
  18. Dukhan, H. (2021). Trusted Networks: How the Assad Regime Subverts Clan Ties in Dar’a. Middle East Institute.
  19. Chatty, D. & Dukhan, H. (2020). The Civil War is Threatening an Ancient Way of Life in Syria. Al Jazeera English.
  20. Dukhan, H. & Ali, H. (2020). A Trilogy of Tragedy: The Burning of Palmyra Oasis. The Aleppo Project, Central European University.
  21. Dukhan, H. (2019). Tribal Sponsorships Help Syrian Families Out of ISIS Camps, but Challenges Remain. Chatham House.
  22. Dukhan, H. (2019). Pro-Regime Militias and ISIS Militants Stand Against the Return of Palmyra’s People. Chatham House.
  23. Dukhan, H. (2019). Arab Gripes Pose Challenges for Syrian Kurds’ Control. Oxford Analytica.
  24. Dukhan, H. (2019). Syria: Attempts by Saudi Arabia, Iran and Turkey to Co-opt Arab Tribes Will Deepen the Country’s Divisions. The Conversation.
  25. Dukhan, H. (2019). Critical Analysis of Attempts to Co-opt the Tribes in Syria. LSE Middle East Centre.
  26. Dukhan, H. (2018). Rivals Will Use Tribes to Destabilise Syria’s Raqqa. Oxford Analytica.
  27. Dukhan, H. (2018). The Syrian Civil War: What Role Do Tribal Loyalties Play? LSE Middle East Centre.
  28. Dukhan, H. (2017). Who are the Tadamera? Modern Life among the Ruins of Palmyra. University of Bergen.
  29. Dukhan, H. (2015). The Islamic State: Balancing the Islamic and the Tribal Identity. Eye Magazine, IAFOR.
  30. Dukhan, H. (2014). Tribes and the Islamists in Modern Syria: A Short Introduction. Centre for Syrian Studies, University of St Andrews.
  31. Dukhan, H. & Hawat, S. (2014). The Islamic State and the Arab Tribes in Eastern Syria. E-International Relations.
  32. Dukhan, H. (2013). Syria’s Security Implications for Israel: The Advantage of a Stalemate. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
  33. Dukhan, H. (2013). Syria and the Risk of Somalisation. openDemocracy.

Selected Research Projects

War and Witness: Syrian Christians Recount Conflict and Survival. Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowship (forthcoming, 2027).

Explores how Syrian Christian communities experienced the post-2011 conflict through their own testimony, focusing on protection and dependence, displacement, faith, and what remains.

Identity and Dissent: The Druze Community’s Political Shift in Syria. Leverhulme Trust / British Academy (2025-2026).

Examines the factors driving political change among Syria’s Druze, focusing on identity, regional influence, and shifting allegiances.

Variations in Sectarianisation in Syria. University of St Andrews, Danish Research Council (2018-2024).

Led by Raymond Hinnebusch and Morten Valbjorn; culminated in the edited volume Sectarianism and the Civil War in Syria.

Striking from the Margins: State and Religion in the Middle East. Central European University, Carnegie (2019-2022).

Examined state and religion in the post-conflict Arab East and produced the co-edited volume Spoils of War in the Arab East.

Mass Violence in Syria. University of Amsterdam (2019-2020).

Led by Ugur Umit Ungor; contributed work on the ISIS massacre of the Sheitat tribe, published in the Journal of Genocide Research.

Journeys to Tadmor: Heritage in Palmyra and the Middle East. University of Bergen, Norwegian Research Council (2016-2017).

Explored Palmyra as a historic centre of trade and its destruction by ISIS.