Editorial
A Word on
The Current
Summary
Edition
(June 2014)
We are pleased to present you with the
English Summary Edition of issue zero of
the bimonthly journal “Delta-N” by Centre
for Thought and Public Affairs (DamascusLondon). This edition is the result of months
of active work conducted by the Delta-N
team, in collaboration with a group of young
talented writers and artists, in order to offer
a new contribution in the intellectual, cultural,
and critical arena of the Middle East.
Within this limited space, it is not possible
to fully describe the transformation of the idea
of Delta-N, which emerged in discussions
between a group of friends and colleagues and
has eventually left the imagination to become
a reality. Yet whatever our feelings may have
been, and despite our eagerness that allowed
this to become a reality, our work will be best
evaluated by the feedbacks we receive from
our readers, and from those who work in the
spheres of thought and public affairs; those
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Delta-N Journal
Summary Edition - June 2014
who are invited to express their opinions and
send their feedbacks and criticisms directly to
the Editorial Board.
This edition includes five sections: articles,
book reviews, journalistic reports, studies,
and visual materials. It comprises of more
than 20 abstracts that summarise ideas
discussed in a simple manner for readers.
The edition addresses a range of topics and
issues. In the section dedicated to articles,
Mazen Ali discusses the role of political
regimes in fostering an environment that
results in extremist ideology in his article
‘Islamic fundamentalism in the Levant: the
Syrian regimes investment’, while Imad
Al-Abbar addresses the importance of
reinterpreting religious scripture in the context
of its effects on society. Meanwhile, Riham
Kousa comments on Syrians reactions online
to the events taking place in the Ukraine. In
the article titled ‘The role of Syrian women in
transitional justice’, Alia Ahmad emphasizes
the importance of female participation in
the realm of Syrian public affairs. In relation
to economics, Majd Jammoul contributes
with his article ‘The rentier state in the age of
political transformation’ which is a preface to
a research paper soon to be published by the
author.