The Strategic Studies Unit of the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies (ACRPS) will hold its four day conference “Protracted Arab Civil Wars: Causes and Challenges” from 11-14 September 2021.

Over eight sessions, 31 scholars and practitioners will examine and discuss the protraction of Arab civil wars, including causations; “exceptionalisms;” security, humanitarian and environmental ramifications; the impact of both female and foreign fighters’ (participation); the changing character of civil wars in terms of tactics and strategies; the role(s) of international and regional powers; the impact(s) of spoilers; and comparative non-Arab cases of ending civil wars and post-civil war management.

The conference will address several questions prompted by the Arab Civil wars: Is there any exceptionalism in Arab civil wars, in terms of causes, duration, intensity, scale and scope? If yes, why? What are the strategic implications of protracted civil wars for regional and international security? How can external powers influence the trajectories of these civil wars? Can they improve governance in areas that have been afflicted by civil wars? What are the roles of armed nonstate actors as military, political and administrative nonstate entities? How will these wars and their aftermath affect humanitarian and environmental policies in the region and beyond? What are the prospects of total war termination, nonviolent conflict management and sustaining civil peace, stability, and reforms in the aftermath of these civil wars? Are there any lessons to be learned from non-Arab cases?

Considering the exceptional circumstances of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, this year’s conference will be held remotely via the Zoom video conference platform and will be streamed on the Arab Center’s social media accounts for general public access. Those wishing to attend the conference, open to the general public, can register for individual sessions according to the agenda attached below.

* Simultaneous translation is available in both Arabic and English.

** Conference Agenda.

*** Conference Booklet.