In this episode of InSight by Al Fida'i Media Network (AFMN), host Anton Manley delves into the complex web of geopolitical struggles and the socio-economic ramifications of de-development in Syria and the broader Arab-Iranian region. He is joined by Patrick Higgins, Ph.D., a historian from the University of Houston specializing in U.S. imperialism in West Asia (“the Middle East”) and the Palestinian liberation movement.

Originally recorded on January 19, 2025, this episode captures the cautious hope surrounding the announcement of a ceasefire in Gaza while setting the stage for a broader discussion on de-development, imperialism, and resistance—particularly in the context of Syria’s protracted internal conflicts over the past century.

Anton and Patrick unravel the intricate layers of Syria’s political landscape, tracing the rise of the Ba'ath Party after 1963 and examining how imperialist powers imposed de-development regimes to stifle Syria’s economic and political sovereignty. Patrick brings his expertise on anti-imperialist struggles in the Arab world, drawing from his research on how Palestinian and Arab revolutionary movements from the 1940s to the 1970s understood and resisted U.S. intervention.

This episode seeks to deepen listeners' understanding of Syria’s ongoing strife while illuminating the broader geopolitical forces that shape the Arab-Iranian region. It offers a critical examination of Western policies and highlights the urgent need for coherent, theoretically grounded activism in support of true sovereignty and self-determination for oppressed nations.

Patrick’s work explores the strategies and ideologies of key movements, including the Palestine Communist Party, the Movement of Arab Nationalists, the Nasserists, the Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party, and the constituent factions of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). For Patrick's writings on Syria see…

Gunning for Damascus: The US War on the Syrian Arab Republic

The Enemy at Home: U.S. Imperialism in Syria

The War on Syria

Syria and the French Empire from WWI to Present

The Tropes of Anti-Anti Imperialism, Part 1: The Rise of Imperialist Internationalism

The Tropes of Anti-Anti Imperialism, Part 2: False Regionalisms

The Tropes of Anti-Anti Imperialism, Part 3: Palestine and the War on Syria

The Firmest Bonds: Arab Nationalism and the Left, Part 1

Victims of Propaganda: In Defense of the Palestinian Left

Applied Internationalism: Arab Nationalism and the Left, Part 2

War Within a War

MARRIAGE: What Divorce Teaches Us About Marriage