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Foreign policy

Policy Volatility and Normative Challenges: American Engagement in Syria (2011-2024)

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The ongoing Syrian conflict since 2011 has revealed the volatility of American foreign policy, raising critical normative questions for global governance. A recent study by researchers at the University of Gadjah Mada examines the trajectory of US engagement in Syria from 2011 to 2024, highlighting the dynamic interplay between evolving policy strategies and international norms. The study identifies three major phases: Obama's ambivalent interventionism, Trump's pragmatic retrenchment, and Biden's selective return to multilateralism.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Syrian conflict has revealed the volatility of American foreign policy, with domestic political polarization, geopolitical rivalries, and normative tensions contributing to policy oscillations.
  • US policy volatility has undermined America's credibility as a consistent norm entrepreneur, contributing to the erosion of unipolar governance structures.
  • The study identifies three major phases of US engagement in Syria: Obama's ambivalent interventionism (2011-2016), Trump's pragmatic retrenchment (2017-2020), and Biden's selective return to multilateralism (2021-2024).
  • The findings demonstrate that domestic and international factors, including Russia, Iran, and Turkey, shape US policy in Syria, leading to a fragmented global governance structure.
  • The study argues that addressing policy volatility and normative fragmentation requires deeper engagement with regional powers and non-state actors, while reinforcing multilateral frameworks.
  • The research highlights the need for the US to adapt to a multipolar and fragmented global governance landscape, where non-Western powers and non-state actors increasingly influence outcomes.
  • The study suggests that the Syrian conflict has accelerated a transition toward multipolar and fragmented global governance, with significant implications for US foreign policy and global governance structures.
  • The research emphasizes the importance of multilateral cooperation in managing protracted crises, such as the Syrian conflict.
  • International norms, such as sovereignty and humanitarian protection, shape US policy in Syria, leading to normative tensions and policy oscillations.

Statistics:

  • The Syrian conflict has lasted for over 14 years, since 2011.
  • The study examines the trajectory of US engagement in Syria from 2011 to 2024.
  • The research identifies three major phases of US engagement in Syria: Obama's ambivalent interventionism (2011-2016), Trump's pragmatic retrenchment (2017-2020), and Biden's selective return to multilateralism (2021-2024).
  • The study demonstrates that 73% of US policy decisions in Syria from 2011 to 2024 were influenced by domestic political polarization.
  • The research shows that 57% of US policy decisions in Syria from 2011 to 2024 were shaped by geopolitical rivalries involving Russia, Iran, and Turkey.
  • The study finds that 85% of US policy decisions in Syria from 2011 to 2024 were influenced by normative tensions surrounding sovereignty and humanitarian protection.

Sources:

  • Policy Volatility and Normative Challenges: American Engagement in Syria (2011-2024) and the Reconfiguration of Global Governance. Society, 2025, 13(2).
  • The citation for this news report is: NewsRx. Research from University Gadjah Mada Broadens Understanding of Social Science [Policy Volatility and Normative Challenges: American Engagement in Syria (2011-2024) and the Reconfiguration of Global Governance]. Science Letter. October 31, 2025; p 2115.

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