‘Sulayman Khalaf, Syria and the anthropology of the Middle East’

Raqqa, the infamous capital of the so-called caliphate, still bears the brunt of terror. Syria still bears the brunt of war, displacement and economic strangulation. But Raqqa had a different history and heritage before the destruction unleashed. Syria didn’t used to be synonymous with war. The purpose of this pilot project is to collect, document and reveal these alternative histories through the life and works of the late Professor Sulayman Khalaf, who was born to a nomadic heritage in Raqqa, became the first Syrian anthropologist, and whose work have contributed immensely in the anthropology of Syria and the broader Middle East. Exploring his life and his works, this project aims to develop a digital archive and to pilot a documentary film about Sulayman Khalaf’s life, and through this, an alternative story of heritage, culture and hope in Syria.

People

	Name	Telephone	Email	Office
	Dr Maria Kastrinou Lecturer in Anthropology (Principal investigator) T: +44 (0)1895 265059 E: maria.kastrinou@brunel.ac.uk	+44 (0)1895 265059	maria.kastrinou@brunel.ac.uk	Marie Jahoda 219