From Subjects to Agents : Spatialising Security and Reverse Securitisation in Sweida's Uprisings

Aldoughli, Rahaf (2025) From Subjects to Agents : Spatialising Security and Reverse Securitisation in Sweida's Uprisings. The International Spectator: Italian Journal of International Affairs. ISSN 0393-2729

Abstract

Traditionally, securitisation theory has emphasised state-centric approaches where the state identifies existential threats and justifies extraordinary measures. However, marginalised communities, such as the Druze majority of Sweida in Syria, have transformed from securitised subjects into securitising agents by actively reframing security narratives. An analysis of Sweida’s securitisation across three historical phases – vertical (1970–2011), horizontal (2011-22) and reverse (2022-24) – highlights that securitisation is neither a static nor exclusively state-driven process. Space and cultural symbols have been strategically reclaimed by the community to resist state oppression, redefine power dynamics and challenge traditional notions of security. This evidence offers new insights into the evolution of securitisation theory, emphasising its relevance and adaptability in non-Western authoritarian contexts where contested spaces and counter-narratives redefine security. Unlike everyday resistance, which operates within the confines of the existing securitisation framework, this process of ‘reverse securitisation’ actively repositions the regime as the primary security threat.