Framing the Syrian Civil War : Stories of individuals from the Syrian diaspora on their view on the civil war

Abstract: The Syrian Civil War has displaced millions of Syria’s inhabitants both around the region and throughout the world. These individuals carry different experiences, views, and perceptions regarding what they have left and their views on the conflict. This study seeks to identify the dominant frames used by 11 Syrian diaspora individuals living in Sweden when framing the Syrian Civil War. It also aims to identify individuals' views of the civil war. The study uses a qualitative framing analysis and applies Kuyper’s function of frames in a total of 11 semi- structured interviews. The study examines interviewees' frames regarding (a) The Arab Spring demonstrations, (b) The Syrian regime, and (c) International Interests. The study found the following frames on (a) horria (freedom), shohada al-thowra (martyrs of the revolution), extremist opposition, (b) dictatorial, dictatorship, fakher (pride), and (c) natural resources, the USA and Russia. The study argues that interviewees adopt different frames based on three factors, (I) media consumption, (II) sectarian affiliation, and (III) geographical origin.