ABSTRACT
Many factors within the Syrian countryside contributed to the root causes behind the current conflict. Due to the shifting geopolitical map in northwest Syria, most of the middle-sized cities assumed a new administrative role, which puts them on the map of potential carriers of future development. This chapter focuses on ways to internally consolidate this middle-size countryside as a unit that is self-aware, dependent on local resources, and enjoys a large margin of self-governance, while redefining a balanced connection to higher governance units. Taking the city of Azaz as a case study, the chapter argues that spatial analysis and long-term planning failed to cope with emerging complexities before and during the war. The chapter identifies internal flaws that played against self-recovery and spatial development in relation to the following criteria: Planning, registries, the local economy, and the balance between local actors. Gaining momentum for recovery and future development requires that these internal flaws be analyzed, and opportunities, risks, and resources be identified for the planning of projects. This process is facilitated through the development model that aims at improving the quality of the identified criteria. The model is experimental and differs according to context, resources, risks, and actors. It requires agency and the full engagement of local actors throughout the whole process. It works on cultural and social dimensions and involves a small margin of freedom to re-define self-awareness on city and countryside levels.
