Resilience, conflict and areas of limited statehood in Iraq, Lebanon and Syria

In a context of areas limited statehood and contested order, Iraq, Lebanon Syria have been affected by similar diffuse global more specific regional local risks over the past two decades. Yet they differ in outcomes. has not descended into civil war despite fears that one raging might spill to its territory Iraq coped better decade than – having subject various forms conflict since 1980. We analyse this variance asking what extent resilience buffer against violent governance breakdown. Through comparative discussion sources social trust, legitimacy institutional design we find input threatened output are harmful resilience, while collective memory reconciliation, as well flexibility institutions crucial factors resilience. Nonetheless, our findings caution should only mean capability adapt crises but also needs set stage for comprehensive inclusive transformations locally rooted.