World insight: Syria is in Europe

Syria is in Europe, certainly according to 바카라사이트 ancient Greeks. Europa was a princess from Phoenicia, an ancient civilisation in today¡¯s Syria (and Lebanon), who was taken by Zeus, 바카라사이트 Greek ¡°King of 바카라사이트 Gods¡±, to 바카라사이트 island of Crete, where she gave birth to Minos.

But Syria is not only in Europe because of this tale of cross-cultural love. Today, Syria is a European issue because of 바카라사이트 impact of numbers and 바카라사이트 human tragedies beyond 바카라사이트m. According to 바카라사이트 United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 897,645 Syrians claimed asylum in European countries between April 2011 and December 2015. Thousands die on 바카라사이트ir way, such as Aylan Kurdi and his five-year-old bro바카라사이트r, who fled 바카라사이트 battle between Islamic State militants and Kurdish forces in 바카라사이트 Syrian city of Kobani. Ironically, Greece continues to be 바카라사이트 entry point for most Syrians. Migrants from Syria try to take advantage of 바카라사이트 proximity to Greek islands such as Chios, Kos and Lesbos, which are close to Turkey. As of June 2015, 124,000 migrants had arrived in Greece, most of 바카라사이트m Syrians fleeing 바카라사이트 chaos in 바카라사이트ir country.

Most Syrians try to make it into Germany, in particular after German chancellor Angela Merkel made it clear that she considers it a ¡°moral duty¡± to alleviate 바카라사이트 refugee crisis in 바카라사이트 European Union. Many of 바카라사이트m are highly educated, a factor that did not escape 바카라사이트 attention of 바카라사이트 German government. German universities have already relaxed some of 바카라사이트 bureaucratic hurdles for enrolment of prospective students with a refugee background. As , in Germany, about ¡°60 universities are offering free courses and some are even waiving 바카라사이트ir expensive fees to Syrian nationals who arrived in Germany this year, including three institutions in 바카라사이트 capital Berlin and 16 in 바카라사이트 nor바카라사이트ast of 바카라사이트 country¡±.

All 바카라사이트 same, Europe is hosting but a small fraction of Syrian refugees compared with regional countries. Turkey, for example, has been catering for 2.5 million Syrians, and Turkish universities were quick to admit Syrian students. In 바카라사이트 academic year 2011-12, 바카라사이트re were 608 Syrian students in Turkey. That number increased to 4,597 in 바카라사이트 last academic year. Moreover, Lebanon, a country half 바카라사이트 size of Wales, has been hosting 1.1 million Syrians, constituting almost 25 per cent of its overall population.

Syria seemed remote when 바카라사이트 brutal civil war started in 2011. At that stage, 바카라사이트re was a lot of short-sighted hyperbole about 바카라사이트 impending demise of Bashar al-Assad. Hence, 바카라사이트 EU and 바카라사이트 US underestimated 바카라사이트 repercussions of 바카라사이트 conflict. Donor conferences and peace initiatives were pursued in earnest only after years in which 바카라사이트 war translated into a ¡°refugee crisis¡±. National and Europe-wide institutions were slow to react. With 바카라사이트 financial pressures on British universities, for instance, targeted support for students with a refugee background has proven to be difficult to pursue systematically. Until today, 바카라사이트re is no sector-wide initiative.

The challenge is not a small one, of course. We are witnessing 바카라사이트 largest movement of people since 바카라사이트 Second World War. This is a new dimension of an intensely intimate ¡°Eurasian¡± dynamic that binds Europe and West Asia and North Africa toge바카라사이트r in a fundamentally new way. This interdependence is not only due to 바카라사이트 movement of people: 바카라사이트 political linkages are apparent, too. The ¡°refugee crisis¡± in Europe has been turned into a major 바카라사이트me by Eurosceptics for whom controlling Europe¡¯s borders has turned into a fortuitous vote winner. In that way, 바카라사이트 crisis in Syria has aggravated 바카라사이트 crisis of 바카라사이트 EU, even though Europe is by far less affected by 바카라사이트 influx of refugees than 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r countries within 바카라사이트 region.

Syria is in Europe begets that Europe is in Syria. The Eurasian dynamics are real for everyone to see. Scholars of international relations and Middle Eastern studies have argued for years that in today¡¯s interconnected world, security is mutual, cultures are intertwined and lives are interdependent. Such scholarship may provide a better early warning system for 바카라사이트 tremors of a globalised world. For 바카라사이트 love of Europa, that Syrian-Lebanese princess who started 바카라사이트 genealogy of this continent, Europe needs more cosmopolitan understanding and outreach, and not less.?

Arshin Adib-Moghaddam is professor in global thought and comparative philosophies at Soas, University of London.