Faris Zwirahn
Faris Zwirahn is a Syrian-American scholar and lecturer at Princeton University’s Department of Near Eastern Studies. He focuses on the Arabic language, modern Islamic thought, Arab and Muslim communities in North America, global justice, transitional justice, human rights and Syria.
Latest from Faris Zwirahn
How Syria’s Shrines Became Front Lines in a Sectarian War
Syria’s long and storied history has left it home to shrines for multiple religions and sects. Many are of great symbolic importance and have become flash points in the country’s conflicts since 2011. Once places of prayer and memory, they have been turned into tools for propaganda and recruitment.
The Fragile Foundations of Arab-Kurdish Coexistence
A journey from Damascus into eastern Syria — along a busy smuggling route — shows that the desire for a united country remains strong, despite the efforts of factions and external actors to sow discord and fuel sectarian fears.
Syria Is Alive With Possibility
The streets, the buildings, even the smells were as I had left them. But the people — they were entirely different. In markets, on public transportation and in the souks, the change was palpable. Smiles adorned people's faces. There was a lightness in their movements and a joy in their interactions.