Beyond Preaching Unity and Inclusion: Observations from Syria’s Media and Online Spaces

<p dir="ltr">This essay traces how media narratives surrounding unity and inclusion have manifested during the first 100 days of the transitional period in Syria (December 8, 2024—March 18, 2025). We examine Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham’s (HTS) strategic media rebranding campaigns and situate the transitional government’s discourse within the broader context of the sectarianisation of the Syrian conflict since 2011. Drawing on digital ethnography, we assess how the transitional government’s official promises of inclusion have been rendered untenable by ongoing violence—most notably, the massacres of Alawite civilians by government-aligned forces (March 6—10, 2025). The essay also explores how competing narratives of Syrian national identity are unfolding—some articulated in opposition to narratives of particularistic and exclusionary sectarian and ethnic frameworks. We conclude by arguing that media narratives are central to understanding both the potential and limitations of this pivotal moment in Syria’s transition.</p>