Field Notes Live | Return to Damascus: Power, Identity, and Resilience in Post-Conflict Syria with Bilal Salayme and Jennifer Thornquest
In this episode of Field Notes Live, Jennifer Thornquest sits down with Bilal Salayme, a Postdoctoral Researcher at the Centre on Conflict, Development, and Peacebuilding (CCDP). Fresh from his recent visit to Damascus, Bilal reflects on returning to the place of his PhD research—a city both familiar and transformed.
Through personal anecdotes and sharp political analysis, Bilal discusses the fall of the Assad regime, the evolving political and social identities of Syrians, and the monopolization of violence—a central theme of his doctoral work, which explores how power is distributed in post-conflict states. He shares insights on the oligopoly of violence, the resilience of communities, and the shifting political space shaping Syria’s future.
This conversation moves beyond theory to lived experience, offering a glimpse into the emotions, hopes, and realities of Syrians navigating change beyond the headlines.
About the People
Guest: Bilal Salayme, Postdoctoral Researcher, CCDP
Bilal Salayme is a Postdoctoral Researcher on the project "State-Building and the Global Practices of Security Sector Reform" at the Centre on Conflict, Development, and Peacebuilding at the Graduate Institute, Geneva. His research focuses on state-building, security sector reform, and UN peace missions in an emerging multipolar world, with a particular emphasis on the monopolization of violence and the evolving social and political order in conflict-affected regions.
More about Bilal’s research:
🔗 CCDP Research Project- A Child of It's Time, The Impact of Politics in Peacebuilding
🔗 CCDP Research Project - State-Building and Global Practices
Host: Jennifer Thornquest, Researcher & Podcast Producer, CCDP
Jennifer (Gigi) Thornquest is a social science researcher and graduate student at the Graduate Institute in Geneva. Her current research focuses on participatory arts and peacebuilding at the intersection of migration and education. With a background in communication, she also explores the role of language and storytelling in shaping public discourse in her approach to producing this podcast. Jennifer is a research assistant at the CCDP.