The effects of mining on a community in rural Syria : a case Study of mining in the region of ArRuhayba, Syria

Abstract: This thesis addresses the effects of mining activities on the livelihoods of rural people and their environment in ArRuhayba, close to Syria’s capital Damascus. A public and political debate about such potential effects has not existed yet in Syria, probably because of the ongoing civil war in the country, which leaves a research gap to be filled. Hence, this study explores the effects mining activities have on the livelihoods of local people, who live in the proximity of the mining area, their environment and their lifeworld at large. This is conducted through using different methods to generate data, such as various forms of interviews and participant observation of the mining sites. The study finds that while mining activities have negative effects on the environment and the lifeworld of local people, the effects on the livelihood system of local people varies between negative effects and positive effects, that are influenced by multiple factors, such as the geographical location; the participation of the local people in carrying out the activities of mining; and the nature of activity. In addition, the study finds that the market economy approach influences the actors in the field who underestimates protecting the environment and considering sustainability. This facilitates the acceleration of mining activities and their expansion over a large geographical area in the absence of relevant regulatory rules and the absence of the participation of local people in the decision-making process. The findings of this study support the findings of many previous studies that address the same phenomenon. Consequently, the study fills a research gap in the field of rural development and natural resource management by addressing another context with different conditions.