Romanticizing masculinity in Baathist Syria Gender, identity and ideology

By Dr Rahaf Aldoughli

Romantic nationalism has profoundly shaped the contours of Syrian identity under Baathist rule, creating deeply rooted habits of thought that continue to impact the lives of Syrians today. Far from being an indigenous construct, this specific ideal of national identity has roots in 18th- and 19th-century French and German social philosophy, which was closely studied and championed by the Baathist “founding fathers.” This vision of the national community included, among other features, a novel view of gender roles in public life, emphasizing the muscularity of patriarchal protectors and the adoration of supporting women. Romanticizing Masculinity in Baathist Syria is the first book to address these European borrowings in Baathism and to document how the associated gender ideologies filtered down to impact the everyday lives of Syrian women and men. Tracing the concepts of Romantic, muscular nationalism from the writings of the Baathist founders, to political and legislative implementations, and ultimately to impacts on everyday popular culture, the book demonstrates how a new regime of Romantic gendered identity became central in Baathist efforts to unify the country’s heterogenous religious and ethnic communities. Continuing up to the current day, the final chapters of the book address how this gendered nationalism has contributed to violent conflict in Syria.