Hidden dynamics of anti-colonialism come to light when exploring the Syrian revolt of 1925 through a transnational lens. Associate Professor & Author Reem Bailony shares insights from her book, examining how the diaspora politics of the Syrian migrant community in the US connected to homeland politics and redefined identity during the French mandate. By centering on the often-overlooked diasporic story and the role of the Arabic press, the conversation unpacks the intense debate around the rebellion's virtues, goals, and shifting meanings. Ultimately, this episode reveals how exiled and migrant figures significantly shaped the international discourse surrounding the modern Middle East.
00:00 Introduction
00:52 Formative Academic Encounters with a Milestone Year
04:36 From Imperial Collapse to the Partitioning of a Region
07:30 Fragmented Visions & the Contested Landscape of Identity
10:08 Archival Discoveries & Cross-Generational Reflections
12:34 The Global Power of a Dispersed Press
16:13 The Mechanics of Petitioning an International Order
20:12 Ideological Divides in the Early Arabic Press
22:26 Mapping the Global Hubs of the Transnational Story
24:28 Borderland Crises & the Politics of Transnational Aid
28:32 The Realities of Local Support
33:35 De Facto Diplomacy & the Pen of an Exile
36:34 Petitions, Surveillance, & the Struggle to Define a Diaspora
46:44 Recommended Readings for Closer Investigation
Reem Bailony is an Associate Professor of History at Agnes Scott College. She is a historian of the modern Middle East with a focus on Middle East migrations and transnationalism. Her book, Syria's Transnational Rebellion: Diaspora Politics and the Revolt of 1925-1927 (Edinburgh University Press, 2025) explores the diasporic and transnational dimensions of the Syrian Revolt of 1925-1927, a watershed moment in anti-colonialism during the French Mandate era. Professor Bailony is also interested in the history of Syrian-Lebanese transnational family dynamics after World War I, and how migrant families parented their children in the diaspora. She holds a BA from UC San Diego and MA and PhD from UCLA.
Connect with Reem Bailony 👉 https://www.agnesscott.edu/directory/faculty/bailony-reem.html
Hosted by:
Mikey Muhanna 👉 https://www.instagram.com/mikey_mu/?hl=en-gb
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