The Challenge of Scaling Up a Network of Elites

As the conflict in Syria passes its 12th anniversary, one civil society body is trying to pave the way to peace. The Council of the Syrian Charter calls for social cohesion built around a common social heritage that transcends political affiliation. In this podcast episode, Dr Craig Larkin and Dr Inna Rudolf are joined by Syrian lawyer and founder of the Council, Dr Naseef Naeem; journalist and Middle East expert, Daniel Gerlach; and Council member, Tambi Qassem, who share their thoughts on overcoming the obstacles of civil war, the Council’s work, and how Syrian civil society ‘bears the key to the exacerbation or relief of the conflict’. This research is being undertaken as part of a UK aid funded project called XCEPT, which aims to understand the drivers of violent and peaceful behaviour in conflict-affected populations – and to find solutions that support peace. Find out more about XCEPT at xcept-research.org.