Suriye'deki alevi sunni ilişkilerinin Hafız Esad iktidarını meşrulaştırmasındaki rolü = The role of the relations between alawites and sunnis in the legitimation of the Hafez Asad regime in Syria

Due to its historical, cultural and strategical conditions, Syria takes its place in the Middle East as a key actor. Despite the fact that the region has nourished and harbored various religions and ethnic elements, the very same fact has created the constant political and economical instability and social upheaval and therefore, has become to known as major characteristics of the region. These traits have particularly reflected upon Syria in early 1970s. Since those days, the rule of Asad family from minority Islamic sect continues for the last 36 years over heterogeneously structured, as of some ninety percent of Sunnite Muslim population of Syria. The permanence of Ba?th regime of Hafiz al-Asad family with its stick out Alawi identity in a country of Sunnite majority owes it to the fact that the regime has brought out quite a lot of changes in the areas of political, military and, social life. This text will examine how Hafiz al-Asad have balanced the various ? even in some cases, conflicting ? identities for thirty years, 1970 through 2000 and then will emphasize on how a country that was ruled by Ottoman for centuries and later on ruled by a French authority as a mandated for decades, has transformed into a pivotal player in the Middle East. Accordingly, the thesis will mainly will be structured along the way the Alawi-Sunnite relations legitimized the Hafiz al-Asad reign in Syria.