Book Chapter

Archeology, Genealogy and the Communication of Subjectivity: The Uses Made of Historical Discourse in Tactical Military Operations in the Syrian Conflict (2013) 
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by Abir Chaaban

Abstract

Archeology and genealogy are combined method of inquiry into the question of the how of power. In Society must be Defended Foucault aimed to methodologically de-scientify the theory of sovereignty by applying the combination of both methods. He first demonstrated archeologically the discontinuity of the conceptual formation of the concept of the legitimacy of sovereignty. Then he genealogically demonstrated the uses made of historical discourse to construct a discourse of an historical legitimacy of sovereignty. This discourse aims at constructing immediate identities of adversaries to tactically mobilize into conflict. In the midst of such conflict the state and its sovereignty were born. This study takes archeology and genealogy schematically as methods of inquiry into the question of the how of power. It brings into question the thesis of an assumed origin and continuity of a Sunni- Shī’a historical sectarian conflict that is being revived in Syria. This study takes three levels of analysis. The first level of analysis brings the assembly constructing the thesis of an origin and continuity of a historic sectarian conflict by institutions of knowledge, the media and think tanks into question. The second level takes the historical dimension to study the archeology of the construction of the constituent points assembling the thesis of origin and continuity. The aim is to genealogically release subjugated knowledges that were abstracted in the process of formal systemization of the origin and continuity thesis. The third level of analysis takes the historical discourse of militancy in Syria. The Salaf militants appeal to a discourse of superiors and inferiors, a sub race and an inferior race of Salaf and Shi’a to mobilize into battle. Foucault did not utilize his analysis into the currency of conflict. I take Foucauldian analysis into the immediacy of conflict.  I take internet and social media as discourse constructing antagonist sectarian identities around a historical content. I bring into play the subject speaking the discourse of news objectivity into the interplay of adversaries and allies mobilizing into conflict to de-scientify the hypothesis of the sectarian divide.