This summer, three Master in International Affairs (MIA) students conducted fieldwork on the Syrian border, as part of their Applied Research Seminar (ARS) project, which was closely supervised by Ronald Jaubert, Professeur titulaire of Development Studies. Steven Dixon, Elsa Romera Moreno and Amal Sadozai give their testimonial.

“We partnered with Geneva-based organisation Geo Expertise to conduct research for the project Syrian Civil Society Initiatives: Situation on the Ground and Potential Support from Swiss Aid Agencies and NGOs. With support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the project presented the opportunity to conduct first-hand fieldwork in Hatay Province, Turkey, near the Syrian border.

It was agreed that we would spend the majority of our time in the city of Gaziantep, home to a significant Syrian refugee population and the base of operations for numerous Syrian organisations. Expeditions were also planned to Reyhanlı in order to meet with Syrian organisations, working within Syria, that were attending a Geo Expertise workshop in the border town.

The fieldwork not only afforded us the opportunity to collect important data for the project, but also presented us with an inspiring experience as students working in the field for the first time. Over the course of a fortnight, we interviewed individuals fleeing bombing and shelling from the regime and other armed groups, yet continuing to dedicate themselves to their country by forming themselves into organisations. The work of these organisations is wide ranging, from emergency humanitarian relief to development projects focussing on education and agriculture.

Regrettably, once there, we were strongly advised to not leave Gaziantep due to the sudden change in the geopolitical situation near the border, after the first ISIS bombing on Turkish soil in Suruç. While this meant we missed the chance to interview smaller NGOs operating solely within Syrian borders, we were able to secure plenty of data to contribute to the ARS project. The overwhelming majority of these interviews were with Syrian organisations with offices and representation at the Turkish border, but with staff and volunteers working within Syria. A few interviews were also carried out with well-known international NGOs and UN agencies.

Through over 30 interviews, conducted in offices and cafés, in English and French, with or without Arabic interpretation, we were able to record an incredible variety of experiences from members of Syrian NGOs on the nature of partnerships between international and Syrian organisations. These interviews revealed a number of insights into the partnership dynamics; we found that there was a general feeling among Syrian NGOs that international efforts were primarily focused on emergency relief, without providing enough support for development, creating dependency and casting doubts over the long-term prospects of reconstruction in Syria. Overall, this fieldwork experience was a truly rewarding process, without which our ARS project would not have been the same.”