Honors Theses
Date of Award
Spring 5-12-2024
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Croft Institute for International Studies
First Advisor
Shaio Zerba
Second Advisor
Wesley Yates
Third Advisor
Ian Gowan
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
The most influential factors in implementing interventionist policies into vulnerable countries are widely debated depending on political factors in the international relations sphere. Russia’s decision to intervene in Syria’s civil war in 2015 while Syria collapsed from civil unrest and authoritarian corruption is a prime example. Although most literature agrees that Russia’s intervention stemmed from an attempt to solidify political influence and diplomatic relations in the Middle East, hardly any addresses President Vladimir Putin’s individual influence as a determining factor. Since national power is consolidated to the individual leader in authoritarian regimes, it is crucial to understand President Putin’s personal role in the Federal Assembly’s decision to intervene in Syria’s civil war. This study utilizes a psychobiographic leadership analysis sampled from the literature to answer its knowledge gap for Putin as an individual. Additionally, this study examines the role of Putin’s personal relationships with key members of the State Duma within the Federal Assembly’s hierarchy. This study finds that both Putin’s history of revolutionary and military ideology exposure as well as political power advantages play significant factors into Russia’s decision-making process for their intervention in Syria’s civil war. This thesis determines how Putin’s personal power influenced this decision from the beginning of Syria’s civil war in 2011 to pre-intervention 2015.
Recommended Citation
Holmes, Lee, "Russian Interventionism: A Case Study of President Vladimir Putin's Personal Influence in the Syrian Civil War" (2024). Honors Theses. 3184.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/3184
Comments
Additional Department: Intelligence and Security Studies