ABSTRACT
The Syrian conflict is an ongoing example of the devastating impact of mass atrocities and the dire outcome of domestic and international failures to prevent them. Interventions under the United Nations Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine have proven to be impractical and secondary to political, economic, and other calculated interests of member nations. In addition, international, political, and legal-oriented measures do not adequately address the profound psychosocial aspects of mass atrocity crimes perpetration, even though psychosocial sequelae have been identified as major risk factors for recurrence of violent conflict.
Interventions that target these psychosocial aspects, which precede and underpin the conflict, are desperately needed. This chapter provides an analysis of the Syrian conflict as a case study, focusing on exploring social and psychosocial risk factors of the violent conflict in Syria, its transformation throughout the war, and possible tools of conflict resolution, narrative mediation, and mental health. The hope is that these tools can complement other political and legal conflict resolution measures, restore social relations, and increase the chance for enduring peace in Syria and beyond.
