Zeinab F. Shuker
@zfshuker.bsky.social
Flâneuse | Theorist | Writer | Asst Professor at SHSU | Sociologist of the political economy and climate change of Iraq & MENA
Reposted by Zeinab F. Shuker
Syria’s rivers are polluted and overdrawn, its forests depleted, and its wildlife decimated.
In a new commentary, @zfshuker.bsky.social writes that Syria’s environmental catastrophe is much more than an aesthetic crisis.
In fact, it poses direct threats to its economy and stability.
In a new commentary, @zfshuker.bsky.social writes that Syria’s environmental catastrophe is much more than an aesthetic crisis.
In fact, it poses direct threats to its economy and stability.
Syria’s Environmental Crisis Is Its Achilles Heel
It may be hard to imagine now, but Syrians once thought of their environmental treasures as being close to the soul of their country. As recently as a
tcf.org
June 17, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Syria’s rivers are polluted and overdrawn, its forests depleted, and its wildlife decimated.
In a new commentary, @zfshuker.bsky.social writes that Syria’s environmental catastrophe is much more than an aesthetic crisis.
In fact, it poses direct threats to its economy and stability.
In a new commentary, @zfshuker.bsky.social writes that Syria’s environmental catastrophe is much more than an aesthetic crisis.
In fact, it poses direct threats to its economy and stability.
Conflict in the region is never good for Iraq, and I frankly think any Iraqi cheering for war as a mean for political change, rather than organic civil sphere development, is not good people.
June 12, 2025 at 1:10 AM
Conflict in the region is never good for Iraq, and I frankly think any Iraqi cheering for war as a mean for political change, rather than organic civil sphere development, is not good people.
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/11/u...
Escalations are never good, especially for Iraq in its election season.
Escalations are never good, especially for Iraq in its election season.
U.S. to Withdraw Diplomats From Iraq Amid Iran Tensions
www.nytimes.com
June 11, 2025 at 11:10 PM
www.nytimes.com/2025/06/11/u...
Escalations are never good, especially for Iraq in its election season.
Escalations are never good, especially for Iraq in its election season.
With my favorites.
June 10, 2025 at 2:52 PM
With my favorites.
I have deleted all social media apps (for now) excepte this one. And the withdrawal symptoms are real. It’s fascinating and depressing how we came to relay on our phones and social media to waste time to the point of addiction.
June 9, 2025 at 4:33 PM
I have deleted all social media apps (for now) excepte this one. And the withdrawal symptoms are real. It’s fascinating and depressing how we came to relay on our phones and social media to waste time to the point of addiction.
Oil prices have been down to $60, and aside from the PM statement to the press that we need to develop the economy, #Iraq remains unengaged in any meaningful economic reforms. It is remarkable how dependent the country is on oil and how underprepared it is to invest in its oil.
April 23, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Oil prices have been down to $60, and aside from the PM statement to the press that we need to develop the economy, #Iraq remains unengaged in any meaningful economic reforms. It is remarkable how dependent the country is on oil and how underprepared it is to invest in its oil.
A very improtant article on the hybrid US regime in the making reader.foreignaffairs.com/2025/02/11/t...
The Path to American Authoritarianism
What Comes After Democratic Breakdown
reader.foreignaffairs.com
February 12, 2025 at 5:09 AM
A very improtant article on the hybrid US regime in the making reader.foreignaffairs.com/2025/02/11/t...
Things started really going downhill for academia when many academics stopped reading, writing, and engaging effectively with theory and philosophy.
February 6, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Things started really going downhill for academia when many academics stopped reading, writing, and engaging effectively with theory and philosophy.
Recent news that the great Michael Burawoy was killed in a hit and run! Truly life is absurd and meaningless.
February 5, 2025 at 2:40 AM
Recent news that the great Michael Burawoy was killed in a hit and run! Truly life is absurd and meaningless.
Amazing piece.
My latest for @centuryintl.bsky.social: The fall of Assad has raised expectations in Lebanon and other refugee-hosting countries that large numbers of Syrians will now go home. But for many refugees, return is not so easy – to make it possible, more has to be done in Syria: tcf.org/content/comm...
Assad Is Gone—But for Refugees to Return, the World Needs to Invest in Syria’s Peace
The dictatorship of Bashar al-Assad has fallen. Now, many of the 6.2 million Syrian refugees abroad—more than a quarter of the country’s prewar
tcf.org
February 4, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Amazing piece.
I am technologically regressing. There was a time where I could use a kindle to read and a computer to write. Now, physical books and a notebook and a pen or nothing is getting done. Slowly heading to cave art as a form of expression.
February 4, 2025 at 3:04 PM
I am technologically regressing. There was a time where I could use a kindle to read and a computer to write. Now, physical books and a notebook and a pen or nothing is getting done. Slowly heading to cave art as a form of expression.
One of the most painful developments in Baghdad is the complete disappearance of the architectural identity of the city. Not only the new buildings are environmentally and socially damaging, they also an erasure of the historical memory of the society. This is 💯 intentional.
January 25, 2025 at 3:15 AM
One of the most painful developments in Baghdad is the complete disappearance of the architectural identity of the city. Not only the new buildings are environmentally and socially damaging, they also an erasure of the historical memory of the society. This is 💯 intentional.
“Businessmen became politicians and were acclaimed as statesmen, while statesmen were taken seriously only if they talked the language of successful businessmen.” Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism
January 20, 2025 at 10:25 PM
“Businessmen became politicians and were acclaimed as statesmen, while statesmen were taken seriously only if they talked the language of successful businessmen.” Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism
On the eve of going back to campus and teaching grad and undergrad theory, I remind myself and my students that: "Theories are nets cast to catch what we call ‘the world’: to rationalize, to explain,
and to master it. We endeavour to make the mesh ever finer and finer." Popper
and to master it. We endeavour to make the mesh ever finer and finer." Popper
January 14, 2025 at 2:30 AM
On the eve of going back to campus and teaching grad and undergrad theory, I remind myself and my students that: "Theories are nets cast to catch what we call ‘the world’: to rationalize, to explain,
and to master it. We endeavour to make the mesh ever finer and finer." Popper
and to master it. We endeavour to make the mesh ever finer and finer." Popper
"ومن هذه التعديلات، حذف وحدة "أصل التطور والحياة" من كتاب العلوم. وحذف "الفكر الفلسفي الصيني" من كتاب الفلسفة في الصف الأول الثانوي، ودروس وصفحات كاملة من مقررات الفلسفة في منهاج الثانوي. "
arabic.cnn.com/middle-east/...
arabic.cnn.com/middle-east/...
جدل حول تعديلات المناهج بسوريا.. ونسخة من أولى صفحات القرار
أعلنت وزارة التربية والتعليم في الحكومة الانتقالية السورية الجديدة، الأربعاء، عن تعديلات على المناهج، أثارت جدلاً على مواقع التواصل الاجتماعي في سوريا.
arabic.cnn.com
January 2, 2025 at 4:46 PM
"ومن هذه التعديلات، حذف وحدة "أصل التطور والحياة" من كتاب العلوم. وحذف "الفكر الفلسفي الصيني" من كتاب الفلسفة في الصف الأول الثانوي، ودروس وصفحات كاملة من مقررات الفلسفة في منهاج الثانوي. "
arabic.cnn.com/middle-east/...
arabic.cnn.com/middle-east/...
Lots of different reading projects for the holidays. Finally getting to Intermezzo.
December 21, 2024 at 5:55 AM
Lots of different reading projects for the holidays. Finally getting to Intermezzo.
Reposted by Zeinab F. Shuker
Syria sanctions could torpedo a historic moment, writes CI director @tcambanis.bsky.social. The Biden admin can, in its final days, lift the U.S. designation of HTS & issue licenses or waivers to aid reconstruction.
Lift Sanctions to Give Syria a Chance to Recover
Syrians have created a historic opportunity, albeit precarious, to build a democratic, pluralistic state. The moment of opportunity dawned on December 8,
tcf.org
December 20, 2024 at 10:07 PM
Syria sanctions could torpedo a historic moment, writes CI director @tcambanis.bsky.social. The Biden admin can, in its final days, lift the U.S. designation of HTS & issue licenses or waivers to aid reconstruction.
Resources as a weapon.
@financialtimes.com's Sarah Dadouch: Syria's largest oil refinery has halted operations, after crude supplies from Iran stop; refinery manager says have fuel reserves and new authorities said they expect sanctions relief to permit import of non-Iranian oil, spare parts: www.ft.com/content/9d65...
Syria’s largest refinery stops operating as Iran oil flow ceases
Ninety per cent of country’s crude came from Iran before fall of Bashar al-Assad, says refinery chief
www.ft.com
December 20, 2024 at 5:02 PM
Resources as a weapon.
Starting this journey here by recommending this great book I am reading now that is half travel guide/half philosophical textbook, my two favorite things.
December 19, 2024 at 4:43 AM
Starting this journey here by recommending this great book I am reading now that is half travel guide/half philosophical textbook, my two favorite things.