West Asia Knowledge Programme
How Can International Actors Accompany Transformative Changes in MENA?
The Knowledge Programme Civil Society in West Asia started as a joint initiative by Hivos and the University of Amsterdam in 2008 with the aim to acquire insights on the role of civil society actors in democratization processes in Syria and Iran.
Why a knowledge programme and why Syria and Iran? Hivos started its support to civic activism in both countries in 2004. The lack of context-specific knowledge on the hard authoritarian contexts in which Iranian and Syrian civil societies operate triggered Hivos to invest in informed insights on the surrounding environment of civil society and state-society relations, as well as how Hivos - and other international actors - can best support meaningful democratic changes in the most two authoritarian countries of West Asia (Middle East).
The programme aims to achieve (new) insights through collaboration between academics from the University of Amsterdam and activists/researchers from the Middle East. This encounter between two different worlds of thinking and doing, i.e. between rigorous academic research and action/evidence-based experience produces (new) insights that is multi-facetted and interesting for a broad range of actors: academics, activists and policy makers. Through series of policy papers, working papers, edited volumes, newsletters and expert meetings we present and disseminate our findings. As of 1 January 2012 we will engage in partnership with the Arab Forum for Alternatives on evidence-based research about challenges to democratic transitions and external funding dilemma’s in the Middle East.
