Syria under Bashar al-Asad Modernisation and the Limits of Change

Syria entered a new phase with the death of its long-serving leader, Hafiz al-Asad, and the accession of his son Bashar in 2000.  While the new president has disappointed much of the hopes for political opening which he himself has created, Syria is clearly undergoing a process of change. The author analyses the factors of economic and political change in the country, and gives a portrait of its new leadership.