Syrian Expat Groups and US Sanctions: An Analysis of Lobbying and Advocacy Strategies

This paper examines the role of expat Syrian interest groups in the imposition of sanctions against Syria by external actors, such as the United States. Sanctions have been widely used as a tool of foreign policy to influence the outcome of the Syrian conflict, but the involvement of Syrian diaspora in this process has been largely overlooked. Subsequently, scholarship and the public have little knowledge of the role such actors play in the formulation of foreign actors’ policies towards the country. Using a mixed-methods approach, the paper maps the main Syrian expat groups and networks in the US and analyses their influence on American foreign policy makers through various channels and strategies, such as lobbying, campaigning, advocacy, research, and media, among others. The paper contributes to the academic debate in sanctions studies and Syria studies by highlighting the role of interest and lobby groups in shaping foreign policy outcomes.