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5 - How Wasta Provides Opportunity to Act Safely

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  17 September 2020

Justin Schon
Affiliation:
University of Florida
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Summary

This chapter describes the concept of wasta as it is understood in Syria. It begins by showing that self-perceived wasta is a reliable indicator of whether people objectively have wasta. This is because both self-perceived and objective wasta exist due to a combination of money and connections. It then describes how wasta's meaning has changed over time. After that, it discusses similar concepts that exist in other context, such as guanxi in China. Finally, it discusses how changes in wasta reflect the wartime political order.

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Chapter
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Surviving the War in Syria
Survival Strategies in a Time of Conflict
, pp. 113 - 129
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2020

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