Author: Ola Rifai

Ola Rifai received her BA in Journalism from Damascus University, Syria, 2006. She worked for five years as a freelance reporter/photojournalist for the Associated Press in Syria. She also worked for the Institute of War and Peace Reporting, where she produced several articles concerning Syria’s politics. She then obtained her MA in International Politics from City University in London, 2011. She received her MPhil Degree in International Relations from St. Andrews University (December 2013). Her thesis MPhil is titled “Identity Clashes Amid the Syrian Uprising: the continuous reproduction of sectarian identities”. Her research interests include international politics of the Middle East and identity, nationalism and ethnic conflict in the contemporary Middle East. Presently, Ola is working as a freelance political consultant for various research centers and NGOs.