For those at IHSA right now, join us for a panel on 'Ethical Exits' in humanitarianism in 15 minutes - online and in Istanbul. See you there!

My review of Estella Carpi's book The Politics of Crisis-Making is out now on @antipodeonline.bsky.social! Read for my thoughts on the local vs global, Southism, and humanitarian futures 👇

“The dream of returning home or simply the possibility to end a decade of exile is suddenly within reach. But this dream now comes with existential, practical and legal questions.” Charlotte Al-Khalili and @melissagatter.bsky.social for @theconversation.com. theconversation.com/syria-after-...

"How can ordinary citizens fight back? To scout the best approaches, I canvassed activists, lawyers, scholars, politicians, and union leaders for advice." Great resource here: newrepublic.com/article/1931...

Has Assad's downfall in Syrian changed anything for Syrians displaced in Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey? Charlotte Al Khalili and I share the perspectives of people in all three contexts for @theconversation.com, and the situation is...complicated 👇

On the urgent need to mobilize allies, far beyond campus, of all "who understand that the universities of America are critical to everything that is good about the country: its commitment to freedom, its devotion to excellence, its leadership in science & medicine." www.chronicle.com/article/how-...

Interesting to see the growth of reports on digital and data. Especially when we are still a long way from good practice in the sector. Also are there inflation-adjusted / real costs figures on humanitarian appeals and spend? That would be interesting.

Tired of hearing about the free world but it not feeling free.

THE RESIST LIST IS HERE. Proud my team just started this @resistlist.bsky.social, which will list actions that happened and that are slated to happen.

Also, here's me reminding people about the white supremacist and segregationist legacy of American immigration policy and how Trump fits into it. www.theguardian.com/us-news/comm...

I was happy to speak with @melissagiragrant.com about pushing back against academic censorship in the current moment. @newrepublic.com newrepublic.com/article/1917...

Who is resilience for? What is the usefulness of calling refugees resilient? Should we avoid the term together? I've attempted to think through these questions in my article with Ethnos, out now and open access 👇 (1/4)

Trump's freeze on foreign aid will leave 100,000s in Syria without food, water & healthcare. “In a normal situation... NGOs would have a heads-up & some time to figure out what to prioritise ..But there is no common sense...about leaving people to die.” www.thenewhumanitarian.org/news-feature...

I have some very cool colleagues 👇

Tonight!!

And not to give this more thought than it deserves, but it would be worth it for some enterprising journalist in the position to do so to ask Trump just who the US would buy Gaza from. It could get him on the record endorsing a sovereign Palestinian state.

Saturday morning reading: Charlotte Al Khalili describes reuniting with her interlocutors for the 1st time in Syria, one of whom she quotes: “Charlotte, we are meeting in Damascus! Damascus!”, Bilal exclaimed as we greeted. “Can you believe it?! Who could have thought we would meet here one day!” 🥹

I'll be at @ucl.ac.uk next Thursday to discuss my book with Estella Carpi and Anne Irfan and talk about what's next for the Syrian refugees whose stories shape my research. Register here 👇

Back at the desk today with Monday morning reading: Ruben Andersson gives us anthropologists a roadmap for studying humans in an increasingly inhumane world. Much needed motivation as we stare down the barrel of 2025, full of monsters we've seen before (and some we haven't).

Another must-read story on the end of the Assad regime, in which palace insiders talk about the final hours, by the New York Times’s Ben Hubbard, Christina Goldbaum, and Hwaida Saad. www.nytimes.com/2024/12/21/w... @nytimes.com @benhubbard.bsky.social

In "The Time beneath the Concrete," Nasser Abourahme argues that settler colonialism in #Palestine is always as much an attempt to conquer time as it is to conquer land. Read the introduction for free now. https://buff.ly/3BwdKyr

I had an open and honest conversation with @mdelbosque.bsky.social about the state of immigration headed a GOP controlled Washington and the urgent need to get a better understanding of nativists now in power.

My feed is a mix of celebration in Syria and destruction in Palestine. How I wish to see Palestinians share the joy of liberation in the very near future 🍉

If you want to fill your Friday with something truly remarkable, take a moment to look at the images and videos from across Syria today, where Syrians are celebrating the first Friday following the fall of the 54-year Assad family rule. ✊❤️

Like clockwork, European countries have started halting the processing of Syrian asylum claims. Is it surprising how quickly otherwise slow immigration systems can implement change if they want to? No! Let's nerd out about time, shall we? 🧵 (1/8)

Just two days after the fall of the al-Assad regime in Syria, several European countries have seized the opportunity to publicly announce that they will suspend the processing of asylum applications from Syrians. 🧵⤵️

NEW: For some, the idea that Syrians could free themselves from despotism seems so implausible it’s dismissed outright — like prisoners hesitating to walk out of an open cell door, writes Layla Maghribi in @newlinesmag.bsky.social newlinesmag.com/argument/lib...

Rolling out e-visas but not providing an app or mobile wallet platform to show your e-visa is wild to me? Like do we really believe airline staff is going to accept a share code?? In this economy???

I’m not really worthy to write anything about beautiful Syria today but they asked me to and so I tried through tears to write some words that are inadequate but here they are anyway: Dawn in Damascus @newlinesmag.bsky.social newlinesmag.com/spotlight/da...

Does anyone know any Syrian organizations working on rehabilitation for freed political prisoners and how we can support them?

The UK has created street level border guards out of landlords, doctors, employers, universities. As an immigrant in the UK, I haven’t had a physical residence card since 2022, unable to prove my residence to anyone other than my landlord & boss. Borders are everywhere, & I’m one of the privileged.

And the work must continue in our own backyards 👇

Are we ready to bring this tyrant down? Best to do it before they entrench their power and jail many of their opponents.

Getting emotional texting my Syrian friends in camps & across the diaspora. The overwhelm is clear in their voice notes, so much joy after so long, grief for loved ones lost over the years, some prepared to resettle elsewhere. We can figure out what’s next later, they say. But for now, الحمد الله.

Yalla who’s next?

I'm overwhelmed by news from Syria - nothing I can say does justice to what their liberation means. Overjoyed and tearful. What a beautiful way to end an otherwise awful year.

وأخيراً اجا دور الدكتور

Thirteen and a half years ago in March 2011, a group of teenagers in Dara'a, Syria spray painted: "Your turn has come, doctor," in reference to Bashar al-Assad. They were arrested and tortured, which led to protests in what would become the Syrian uprising. Today is for them.

My feature interview with Silky Shah (@silkys13.bsky.social), about resisting the upcoming Trump/MAGA mass deportations, is now live on No Borders Media (@nobordersmedia.bsky.social) ...Take some time to listen to Silky's insights about the work, organizing, mobilizing, and resisting ahead of us ...

Public infrastructure across the country is crumbling while the government throws money at issues it created as a distraction. What a waste.

"Israel’s integration of digital manipulation with military threats disrupted daily life and left communities trapped in cycles of fear and confusion." Don't miss my @timep.bsky.social colleague @kassemmnejja.bsky.social's new piece on what Israel's digital warfare in Lebanon has looked like.

An updated and complete list #2 of 150 social scientists of international migration, broadly defined, is now available go.bsky.app/G4NjiPz

Chicago relies on private contractors like GardaWorld to run shelters for asylum seekers. These shelters are not accessible to mutual aid orgs. I’ve seen only the outside of the Super 8 shelter in Rogers Park and it was depressing. Good to see @borderlessmag.bsky.social bringing this issue to light:

fantastic panel that left me with chills after the final question: “How can we best communicate the reality of modern warfare with the public at large – and put pressure on our governments?” was mostly answered with resigned silence

Finally decided to dip my toe into the blue sky waters! I post about humanitarian aid and migration governance and other random thoughts. I will occasionally nerd out about time. Let's connect!