Competing Authorities in a Fragmented State: Experimental Evidence from Syria

Emerging from a protracted civil war and divided territorial control, new leaders in Syria are grappling with the challenges of decentralization, local political authority, and governance. In this fragmented context, questions about the extent of authorities’ control and influence over local populations, as well as the competition among authorities to exert influence, are paramount. While previous research demonstrates the critical role local authorities can play across different issue areas, such as security and religious life, far less is known about how citizens respond to competition among these authorities. Drawing on a planned survey of approximately 4,000 respondents across more than 100 communities, we embed a conjoint experiment that varies the type of request of the citizen (i.e., participation in various local events), the authority making the request, and whether a competing authority supports or opposes it. We examine how citizens respond to the request depending on the authorities and the competition among them. This study sheds light on the reach and limits of local authorities in a context of a fragmented state and competing local authorities.