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Sober masculinity and nurturing femininity: a gendered analysis of the Syrian presidency Instagram account

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Abstract

Since July 2013, Syrianpresidency, the “official Instagram account for the Presidency of the Syrian Arab Republic” has featured a high percentage of photos of President Bashar al-Assad and of his wife, Asma. This article takes Syrianpresidency as an important aspect of the Assad government’s digital public diplomacy, because of its strong visuality. Using case study and content analysis approaches, it surveys a sample of Instagram posts from January 2016, when the Syrian military began retaking territory from ISIS, through March 2020, covering Syria’s initial response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It argues that Syrianpresidency frames the Assads for a regional and international audience through the lens of a ‘gendered modernity,’ portraying them as companionate spouses serving Syrians in complementary ways. Syrianpresidency aims its public diplomacy at domestic and foreign audiences, working to project a positive image as part of its efforts to manage and ultimately end the Syria conflict. In doing so, it engages in an updated form of what Wedeen terms ‘as-if’ politics and a politics of erasure, effacing the regime’s violence and citizen resistance through silence.

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Notes

  1. Syrian Presidency (@Syrianpresidency). 2016. “Qala al-Assad ….” Instagram post. 2.3.2016. Interestingly, the caption for this post includes one of the few mentions of God found in this study.

  2. Syrian Presidency (@Syrianpresidency). 2017. “Khilal istiqbala lahum al-yom …” and “Nahna bil-akheer kilna rah nakoun ….” Instagram posts. 2.9.2017. The Arabic caption here includes spoken Syrian Arabic for Bashar’s quotes, with formal Arabic for the wrapping text.

  3. Syrian Presidency (@Syrianpresidency). 2019. “a-Ra’is #al-Assad fi kalimatihi al-yom ….” Instagram post. 2.17.2019.

  4. Syrian Presidency (@Syrianpresidency). 2018. Six Instagram posts. 3.18.2018.

  5. Syrian Presidency (@Syrianpresidency). 2020. Instagram post. Nine photos 1.7.2020.

  6. Syrian Presidency (@Syrianpresidency). 2019. Instagram post.

    2Three photos 2.25.2019.

  7. See, for example, two 2016 interviews—with El Pais and German television channel ARD: Syrian Presidency (@Syrianpresidency). 2016. “Min muqabila al-Ra’is #al-Assad …” and “Min muqabila al-Ra’is #al-Assad ….” Instagram posts. 2.20.2016 and 3.1.2016.

  8. Syrian Presidency (@Syrianpresidency) 2016. “Sayyida #Asma al-Assad ma` Zayn….” Instagram post. 2.27.2016.

  9. For a brief analysis of the Syrian Arab News Agency’s role in Bashar al-Assad’s as-if politics, see Fielding-Smith (2015).

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  1. University of Denver, Denver, USA

    Andrea Stanton

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  1. Andrea Stanton
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Stanton, A. Sober masculinity and nurturing femininity: a gendered analysis of the Syrian presidency Instagram account. Place Brand Public Dipl 18, 346–356 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41254-021-00254-y

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