Franska mandatet i Syrien: Extern påverkan och dess konsekvenser på samhälle och stat

Sammanfattning: The ongoing civil war in Syria has taken many casualties since the start of the public uprising in 2011. President Bashar al-Assad has responded to the demand for power change by the Syrian population with brutal repression. This has created an inhumane situation where civilians are being targeted. This case study has traced the historical development of Syria from the creation of it to independence in 1946. The focus has been on the French mandate and its impact on Syrian society and state. The purpose has been to research if the policies of the French mandate can give any insights to why there is instability in Syria today. The thesis found that different policies used by France created a divide within the society, and this division was based mainly on religious and ethnical lines. The implications by French policies were put in a context with theories explaining how factors like identity, state building and ethnicity and religion can have effects on society and state. The conclusion of the thesis is that policies used by France had a negative impact on Syrian society and state. However the mandate period cannot serve as sufficient explanation to why there is instability in Syria today.