Overview

The book focuses, through multiple levels of international reality, on the pervasive and widespread effect of the Syrian civil war on the unravelling of established norms---both global or national--- which have determined international relations during the last seven decades. It postulates that since 2011, the Syrian situation has catalysed the breakdown of the international system based on the United Nations and the Bretton Woods institutions. The core international values fostered by that system now laid waste, among others, are sovereignty, non-interference, sanctity of UN Security Council approval for waging war, human rights, protection of civilian populations, and the right of people to choose their own governments/leaders. By making the UNSC powerless in providing humanitarian assistance or fostering cease-fire and peace-making it has called into question the principles which have been held immutable for seventy years. More importantly, these norms have been breached by their originators. The book takes a wider perspective melding together the civil war’s international, regional and national consequences to understand how and why this one event has radiated profound consequences for the international system.

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9789811545610

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Reviews

The book is an important source for those seeking to study the Middle East, the Arab Spring, and the Syrian civil war. The breadth of Abhyankar's treatment of the conflict, along with the details given, help readers look at the events contributing to the unrest from different angles. Moreover, the author offers several approaches that could aid in moving the political process forward, making the book a constructive reference for the region for years to come. (Emrah Atar, Insight Turkey, Vol. 23 (3), 2021)

Author Information

Rajendra Abhyankar taught at the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University, Bloomington, USA. He taught  courses on the Practice of Diplomacy at the graduate and undergraduate levels and a Capstone course at the graduate level. Professor Abhyankar’s long and varied diplomatic career since 1968 culminated as India’s Ambassador to the European Union, Belgium and Luxembourg. He has also been Indian Ambassador to Cyprus, Syria, Turkey, Azerbaijan. He was Deputy High Commissioner of India in Sri Lanka and Consul General of India, San Francisco. He has been Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs from 2001 to 2004. He is the author/co-author of six books on various aspects of India’s foreign policy. He has written for both Indian and foreign journals and widely sought at a speaker.  He has travelled widely and speaks five languages other than English apart from four Indian languages. He lives with his wife in Mumbai, India.

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