Welcome to the website of
Dr. Carsten Wieland
Political analyst and consultant
Middle East expert
Colombia and Latin America
Comparative conflict analyst
Political and media communication
Author and journalist
The following pages offer an overview of my key academic and a selection of journalistic publications. You can find the analyses according to world regions and specific subjects. Books are listed according to the titles which have appeared in various languages (English, German, Arabic, Spanish).
Contact: info@carsten-wieland.de
Twittern
Latest books
Upcoming
CUNE PRESS, Seattle (USA)
www.cunepress.com
Table of Content
Endorsements for “Syria – A Decade of Lost Chances”
"Carsten Wieland has established himself as one of the premier contemporary Syria watchers, with his first hand experience of the country and keen analytical mind. This update of his book is a must read for those seeking to understand the current uprising from a balanced point of view. The book’s meticulous command of empirical detail, analytically framed and interpreted, makes it an invaluable and historical record. Particularly strong is Wieland’ analysis of the contradictory personality of Bashar al-Asad, of the power struggles within the regime, of the causes and consequences of missed opportunities for reform that might have headed off revolution and of the counterproductive violent response to protestors that propelled it."
Raymond Hinnebusch, Director at the Center for Syrian Studies, University of St. Andrews
"A fascinating and highly readable book, providing one of the most detailed accounts of the dramatic events in Syria over the past decade and before. Dr Wieland gives an original and critical in-depth analysis of modern Syrian history with a refreshing approach."
Nikolaos van Dam, Syria expert ("The Struggle for Power in Syria") and Dutch Ambassador to numerous Arab and Islamic countries
“Carsten Wieland plumbs the contradictions of contemporary Syrian life and politics. He was among the first Westerners . . . in the early years of Bashar’s presidency . . . to interview Syrian opposition members as well as government officials. He explored the reasons that many young Syrians had such high expectations of their young president even as so many reviled the government and the Baath Party for its corruption and and repression. Their expectations, we now know, were dashed. Wieland is even-handed and measured; he knows Arabic and has lived in Syria for years. Better yet, he listens. Syria - A Decade of Lost Chances is timely and important. Everyone interested in Syria should read this book.”
Joshua Landis, Director, Center for Middle East Studies, University of Oklahoma and Founder of SyriaComment (www.SyriaComment.com)
“. . . since Bashar Al-Assad became President in June 2000. The early hope for change toward pluralism and democracy—a Damascene spring—was not fulfilled. The tragic story of an unflinching opposition struggling for democracy against a rigid authoritarian minority regime lead by the Assad clan is told on the basis of many interviews with leading figures of the op- position while describing the savage repression of a regime which cannot reform itself and is still not willing to give up its power and privileges.
“. . . readers who want a better understanding of the root causes of Syria’s ongoing revolts, will be enthralled by this vivid account of Syria’s recent political history since Bashar Al Assad became President in July 2000.”
Gunter Mulack, President of the German Orient Institute, past German ambassador to Syria
Upcoming book-launch event
SYRIEN: Repression und Revolution vom Damaszener Frühling zum Arabischen Frühling
25. Juni 2012, 18:00 - 20:00
Akademie der Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, Tiergartenstr. 35, Berlin
Registration: anmeldung-berlin@kas.de
more
Recent events (selection)
► Conference "Regional Aspects of the Situation in Syria", Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS), Copenhagen, 10 May 2012
| |  |
Speech of Villy Søvndal, Danish Minister of Foreign Affairs, about the challenges of the Syrian crisis for Danish and European foreign policy. | | Panel on the internal dynamics of the Syrian conflict with Prof. Jakob Skovgaard-Petersen (University of Copenhagen), Louay Hussein (Buidling the Syrian State), Dr. Reinoud Leenders (University of Amsterdam)
|
► Conference "Syria: The Arab Spring's Unhappy Ending?", University of Bonn, 8 May 2012
Panel with Syrian philosopher Prof. Sadiq al-Azm and journalist Hannah Wettig
► Conference of the German Orient-Institute and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation: "Between Freedom and Repression - The Future of Syria", Berlin, 23 November 2011
 | |  | |  |
Speech of Ambassador Dr. Nikolaos van Dam: "The Regime of Bashar al-Asad: Battle for Political Survival" | | Speech of Hozan Ibrahim (SNC): "Chances and Risks for Political Change: The Work of the Syrian National Council" | | Speech of Dr. Carsten Wieland: "The Syrian Opposition: United in Disunity?" (photos: Tobias Fresenius, KAS) |
Event report of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation
► Mühlheimer Nahostgespräche: "Dynamic and Limits of the Upheaval in the Arab World", Duisburg, 19-20 November 2011
 | |  |
Panel with Dr. Oliver Ernst (KAS), Dr. Bijan Khajehpour (Atieh International) and Dr. Awat Asadi | | Speech about Syria, Human Rights and the Dilemma of the West (photos: Oliver Ernst, KAS)
|
Event report of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation
► International Conference "The Aftermath of the Arab Spring - Challenges for the Foreign and Security Policy", Konrad Adenauer Foundation, Candenabbia (Italy), 27-30 October 2011
| |  |
Panel with Dr. Anat Kurz (INSS, Tel Aviv), Dr. Michael Lange (KAS, Germany), and Prof. Dr. Carlo Masala (German Bundeswehr University, Munich)
| | Conference center Villa Collina at Lake Como
|
► Panel discussion: "Asad's Lost Chances", Bruno Kreisky Forum, Vienna, 06 October 2011
 | |  |
Panel with Khaled Oweis (Reuters), Dr. Amr al-Azm (Syrian opposition), and Gudrun Harrer (Der Standard)
| | The Bruno Kreisky House and Foundation |
► Postgraduate Conference: "Syria in a Changing World", Centre for Syrian Studies, University of St. Andrews, Scotland, 1-2 September 2011
 | |  |
Final panel with Prof. Dr. Elisabeth Picard, Dr. Thomas Pierret and Prof. Dr. Raymond Hinnebusch
| | Conference participants are enjoying a fresh breeze at the historic Cathedral of St. Andrews |
► International Conference: "Bashar al-Asad's First Decade: A Period of Transition for Syria?"
Center for Middle Estern Studies (CMES), Lund University, Lund (Sweden), 7-10 October 2010
 | |  |
Panel with Prof. Dr. Fred Lawson, Dr. Benafsheh Keynoush and Dr. Özlem Tur
| | Main historic building of the University of Lund
|
► "Colombia After the Uribe Era - Chances for a New Beginning?", Heinrich Böll Foundation, Berlin, 1 June 2010
 | |  |
With Angélica Lozano Correa, campaign manager of the Green Party of Colombia | | Panel with Reiner Huhle (Nürnberg Human Rights Centre) Angélica Lozano (Green Party Colombia) and moderator Bernd Pickert (taz).
|
Event report: "Wir haben zehn Fehler gemacht", Eine Debatte über die Fallstricke der Politik in Kolumbien
► "Bashar al-Asad’s First Decade: A Period of Transition for Syria", International Conference at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies (CMES), Lund (Sweden), 19-20 April 2010
 | |  |
Participants in Lund's historical main university building
| | Presentation on the Present Context of Syrian's Foreign Policy: Change in the Region and Stagnation at Home
|
► Aqqad House Media and Journalist Conference on Turkey and the Middle East, Danish Institute Damascus, 10-12 November 2009
 | |  |
Panel with Elizabeth Shakman Hurd, Meliha Altunisik, and Jihad al-Zein
| | Participants in the Danish Institute Damascus |
► Book presentation and dialogue with Prof. Dr. Sadiq Jalal Al-Azm on ethno-nationalism and primordialism vs. secularism and humanism in the Balkans, South Asia and the Middle East
 | | 
|
German Orient Institute Beirut 30 June 2009 | | Goethe Institute Damascus 1 July 2009 |
► Eschborn Dialogue, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (gtz), Eschborn (Germany), 23-24 June 2009
 | |  |
Panel with Vabah Gayflor, Minister for Gender and Development, Liberia, Esther Mujawayo-Keiner, sociologist and trauma therapist, survivor of the Rwanda genocide (NGO Avega), Daniel de Torres, Deputy Head of Special Programmes at the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF) | | Speech on media, gender and conflict
|
► Mühlheimer Nahostgespräche, Duisburg, 21-23 November 2008
 | |  |
| | Panel with Prof. Dr. Udo Steinbach, Dr. Rainer Bernstein, Dr. Oliver Ernst |
► Speech on Syria's Regional Role After the War in Lebanon, Dar al-Hewar Center, Vienna V.A. (USA), 1 December 2006
 | |  |
Panel with Mazhar Samman
| | |
► Syria Book Presentation and Speech at Georgetown University, Washington D.C. (USA), 29 November 2006
 | |  |
Speech on Syria under Bashar al-Asad and the Crisis in Lebanon
| | With Prof. Dr. Joe Ferrara, Dean of the Public Policy Institute at Georgetown University
|
► Conference: "Arabic World(s): Diversity in Unity and Unity in Diversity", Panel on Syria, Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Berlin, 17-19 September 2006
 | |  |
| | Panel with Ayman Abdel Nour, Kristin Helberg and Sami Moubayed
|
► Presidential Classroom speech: "Current Cleavages in the Middle East Conflict", Georgetown University, Washington D.C. (USA), 27 March 2006
Contact:
info@carsten-wieland.de
