The Sunni jihadists ruling Syria claim to have abandoned violence. But whether directly and through proxies, their role in a series of armed attacks on minorities is undeniable. Druze and Alawites have suffered horrific killings, with Kurdish regions also being hit. In response to this sectarian slaughter, some minority communities are demanding autonomy or federalism.

Does Syria have a future as a unified country governed from Damascus? Or would its many minority groups be better served by a decentralized system, if not the breakup of the country into smaller, self-governing polities protected by Israel or others? MEF’s staff and fellows are actively engaged in analyzing this issue, as this selection of their work shows.