هندسة "الهوية الوطنية"... سورية المستقبل

The Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies published the book **Engineering “National Identity”... Syria’s Future**, written by Mahmoud Bakir, and is 248 pages long. It includes an executive summary, an introduction, five chapters, and a conclusion, in addition to references and a general index. The book shows that the national crisis that Syria experienced during the last decade revealed the absence of a project to build citizenship. Which led to the desertification of national identity as a result of the negligence of the state and parties. The author addressed this concept by using scientific tools such as “topology” to highlight its intellectual nature, in addition to employing the controls of legitimate interest in Islamic jurisprudence, which are based on giving priority to the good of good people and repelling greater harm with lesser harm. ## National identity and state building National identity is considered a basic pillar in states. It is a necessary condition for achieving good governance, social justice, enhancing self-awareness, unifying efforts, and political advancement. However, its abstract nature makes its importance often apparent when it is absent or disturbed, and this is clearly evident in some countries such as Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Sudan, Syria, Turkey, Malaysia, Spain, and Iran. To understand the depth of national identity crises, one can look at the experience of the Scandinavian countries, namely Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland, which succeeded in crystallizing a mature national identity that led to economic prosperity, social equality, and the well-being of peoples. The main pillar of this success is the “Scandinavian educational model,” which is based on comprehensive education for all segments of society, while enhancing the values ​​of national belonging and social responsibility, respecting diversity, and instilling pride in heritage, history, and folklore. This model, as author David Brooks explains, is based on the German concept of Bildung. That is, developing the human personality in all its dimensions - mental, emotional, moral and civil - instead of being limited to information. Education is concerned with developing mental “perception” and understanding “relationships” between individuals and society, allowing students to understand complex systems and participate effectively, while respecting the independence of individual thinking.