State/Charities relation in Syria: between reinforcement, control and coercion
Résumé
Syrian charities have become key actors within the Syrian civil society during the last ten years. Actually, in the context of the economic liberalization, charities - as other kind of NGOs - have experienced an important growth and a significant renewal in terms of the methods and the projects being undertaken. The aim of this paper is to provide a deeper analysis of the state / Charities relation during Bashar al-Asad‟s first decade. We will argue that the development of this sector has been actively encouraged by the Syrian authorities, who conceive these social structures as an efficient way to partially "off-load" the state from, at least, a part of its welfare responsibilities. We will show indeed throughout which mechanisms this support has been regularly provided (registration facilities, land donations, official visits, etc.). Notwithstanding, we will argue, the state / charities relation does not limit itself to the reinforcement of these organizations by the public administration. On the contrary, we will demonstrate how the expansion of this sector has been accompanied by the attempt to redeploy the state and to upgrade the mechanisms that permit to control and disciplinarize these activities (registration of previous non-registered charities, creation of GO-NGOs, etc.). Finally, we will supply some examples of the repressive and the coercive measures that can be extraordinary undertaken against charities (banning religious leaders from the boards of directors, dissolution of boards of directors, etc.).
Domaines
Science politique
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