Contemporary Syria

Eberhard Kienle is Lecturer in Politics at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, and is the author of Ba'th versus Ba'th: The Conflict between Syria and Iraq (I.B.Tauris 1990).

• Introduction - liberalization between Cold War and cold peace, Eberhard Kienle. Part I Economic reform - realities and tendencies: Investment Law No. 10 - which future for the private sector?, Sylvia Polling; the crisis of 1986 and Syria's plan for reform, Nabil Sukkar. Part II Elements and prospects of political change: stages of economic and political liberalization, Volker Perthes; the Syrian business community, its politics and prospects, Joseph Bahout; al-dimuqratiyya hiyya al-hall? the Syrian opposition at the end of the Asad era, Hans Gunter Lobmeyer; liberalization in Syria - the struggle of economic and political rationality, Raymond A. Hinnebusch; the return of politics? scenarios for Syria's second Infitah, Eberhard Kienle. Part III International implications: Syria after Ta'if - Lebanon and the Lebanese in Syrian politics, Fida Nasrallah; domestic pressures and the peace process - fillip or hindrance?, Fred H. Lawson.