Ching-An Chang

Thesis title: The transformation of the Syrian business community after the 2011 uprising: the formation of a war-induced business diaspora and the reorganisation of their networks

Biography

Background

Ching-An graduated from the Department of Diplomacy and took a minor in the Department of Arabic Language and Literature at Chengchi University, Taiwan, R.O.C. in 2011. He spent one year in Syria for learning Arabic between 2009 and 2010 (accomplished the level of first-advanced course in the Higher Language Institute of Damascus University, and the course of “Teaching Arabic Language for Non-Arabic Speakers” in the Institute of Shiekh Ahmad Kuftaro). He completed the MSc International Relations in University of Edinburgh in 2013, with a dissertation on the impediments of Syrian economic reform during 2000-2010.  

Undergraduate teaching

Tutor, 'Modern Middle Eastern History B: Postwar Independence and Conflict' (2015-2016 - S2)

Research summary

Middle East Politics (with a particular focus on Syria and Turkey), Migration, Diaspora, Transnationalism

Affiliated research centres

  1. Syrian civil war is not caused by sectarianism (敘利亞內戰非教派衝突所致) (23/07/2013)(http://opinion.cw.com.tw/blog/profile/52/article/495)
  2. The three perspectives why the West dare to invade Syria (西方不敢入侵敘利亞的三層原因) (17/11/2013)(http://opinion.cw.com.tw/blog/profile/52/article/759)
  3. Pain without tears – the Syrian refugees in Turkey (敘利亞難民於土耳其的悲歌) (22/07/2014)( http://opinion.cw.com.tw/blog/profile/52/article/1653)
  4. A diplomatic breakthrough opportunity for the Republic of China: Syrian civil war (從敘利亞內戰看中華民國外交突破的契機) (21/09/2014) (http://opinion.cw.com.tw/blog/profile/52/article/1876)
  5. The younger generation of Syrian refugees in Turkey: forced to be precocious, but where does their future lie?, Routes(08/03/2015) http://routesblog.com/tag/syria/) How Taiwan can get thought its diplomatic predicament? Providing scholarships to Syrian refugees is the simplest step. (臺灣要如何走出外交困境？提供獎學金給敘利亞難民，就是最簡單的下一步) (04/06/2015) (http://www.thenewslens.com/post/171484/)
  6. A win-win game for the Muhajiroon (emigrants) and Ansar (helpers): the economic potential of Syrian business migrants in Turkey, SAMEC Perspective Series, Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Sakarya University, April 2015, No:12 (http://www.academia.edu/12074193/A_win-win_game_for_the_Muhajiroon_and_Ansar_the_economic_potential_of_Syrian_business_migrants_in_Turkey)
  7. When a Refugee is more than a Refugee: The Economic and Intellectual Strengths of the Syrian Refugees in Turkey, Independent Turkey, 16 November 2015, London: Centre for Policy and Research on Turkey (Research Turkey). (http://researchturkey.org/?p=10038)
  8. 2015السوري….أكثر من مجرد لاجئ, المنتدى الاقتصادي السوري, 25 نوفمبر. (http://www.syrianef.org/?p=4953)(translated from "When a Refugee is more than a Refugee")

  1. “The Role of Diasporas, Migrants and Exiles in the Arab Revolutions and Political Transitions,” When Authoritarianism Fails in the Arab World (WAFAW), Tunis, Tunisia - 16-17 Oct. 2014. Paper title: “A preliminary study on the formation of the Syrian business community in Turkey after the revolution of 2011.”
  2. “Diaspora Studies Graduate Workshop,” Scottish Centre for Diaspora Studies, Edinburgh, United Kingdom – 28 Oct. 2014. Presentation title: “The settlement of the Syrian businessmen in Turkey.”
  3. “Middle East Talks,” Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Sakarya University, Turkey – 24 Feb. 2015. Presentation title: “War-induced business diaspora: an introduction to the emergence of Syrian business community in Turkey after the 2011 revolution.”
  4. “Syria: Moving Beyond the Stalemate,” Centre for Syrian Studies, University of St. Andrews, United Kingdom – 1-3 July 2015. Paper title: “The division and cooperation of the Syrian business community in Turkey: an investigation of the political and economic behaviours of the Syrian business migrants.”
  5. “Taiwan Scientific Symposium Edinburgh, Scotland,” Ministry of Science and Technology (R.O.C.) –19 March, 2016. Paper title: “The networking of the expatriate Syrian Businessmen: a case study of Turkey."

  6. “3rd Middle Eastern Congress on Politics and Society,” Middle East Institute, Sakarya University, Turkey. – 11-13 Oct. 2016. Paper title: “The Business Class Syrian Refugees: the Possible Crisis Alleviators?”

  7. “MESA 2016 annual meeting,” Middle East Studies Association, Boston, U.S. – 17-20 Nov. 2016. Paper title: “The economic elites of Syrian refugees: a neglected group of crisis alleviator.”

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