In March 2011, many Syrians stood up in the midst of the Arab Spring to protest President Bashar al-Assad and demand the country’s leader step down. Since then, a tumultuous civil war has ensued between the government, its citizens and rebel extremists.
The ongoing violence has killed thousands of Syrians and displaced millions from their homes. As the country endures a civil war, artists continue to demonstrate the realities of life for Syrians. In her new book, “Dancing in Damascus: Creativity, Resilience, and the Syrian Revolution“(Routledge/2017) Miriam Cooke demonstrates how art and activism have come together during decades of turmoil in Syria.
Host Frank Stasio talks with Cooke about the different forms of creative resilience in Syria throughout decades of the Assad regime. Cooke is a professor of Arabic and Arab Cultures at Duke University.