This article analyses the transformation of political discourse in Sweida, Syria, from demands for citizenship within the state framework to calls for self-determination. It situates this shift within the broader structural collapse of governance following the breakdown of central authority in 2024 and the emergence of hybrid governance structures. Drawing on the concept of the “state-of-empire,” the study examines how the Syrian regime historically managed pluralism and how its disintegration led to increased sectarian violence and the erosion of the social contract. Particular attention is given to documented violations against minority communities, especially the Druze, and their implications under international law. The article explores legal frameworks such as the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) and remedial secession, arguing that current calls for self-determination in Sweida are not ideological but rather responses to existential threats and state failure. Alternative solutions, including federalism and decentralisation, are assessed but remain limited due to political and structural constraints. Published in Swaida Intellectual Digital Magazine, Vol. 1(3), 2026. ISSN: 3099-3172 (online).
Mael Baummar (Thu,) studied this question.