Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Arts and Humanities Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Grand Valley State University

Political History

2012

Articles 1 - 2 of 2

Full-Text Articles in Arts and Humanities

Unity, Freedom And Socialism: The Assads, The Ba’Ath And The Making Of Modern Syria, Judson C. Moiles Dec 2012

Unity, Freedom And Socialism: The Assads, The Ba’Ath And The Making Of Modern Syria, Judson C. Moiles

Grand Valley Journal of History

To many Westerners, the Middle East is thought of as a region torn apart from the inside by ethnic and religious strife. One incongruous case to this perception, however, is the longevity of the Assad family’s rule in Syria. Many scholars have tried to answer the question of how the Assads, members of the minority ‘Alawi community, which was, and is, considered by many Muslims to be heretical, could so wholly dominate the state and military infrastructure of Syria. This study aims to show how deep the roots of ‘Alawi military rule run, and how it can be found in …


Supporting Caste: The Origins Of Racism In Colonial Virginia, Patrick D. Anderson Dec 2012

Supporting Caste: The Origins Of Racism In Colonial Virginia, Patrick D. Anderson

Grand Valley Journal of History

In 17th century Virginia, lower class whites and blacks coordinated on multiple occasions to resist the power of the ruling class elites. By the late 19th century, white laborers viewed the newly freed slaves through racist precepts and the two groups clashed on a regular basis. The aim of this essay is to explain how the shift from racial solidarity to racial antagonism occurred. Racist ideology originated in the minds of the elites and they attempted to separate the restless lower class along racial lines, first, by legal reforms, second, by creating a separate class of enslaved blacks. Anti-black racism …