ICFRC: Hope and Fears -Why Journalism Remains Essential in a Time of Global Democratic Erosion
Recorded: April 8, 2026
Runtime: 01:20:58
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ICFRC: Surviving a Dictator, A Dictator Surviving
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During the 2016 elections, refugees coming from Syria to the States were a topic that brought Syria back to the front page. But after that, it slowly faded into the background. That does not mean that all is quiet on that front. Living conditions have deteriorated poorly while the regime behind all the tragedies is still in power. We learn how Assad survived this, including becoming one of the world's top manufacturers and distributors of the drug Captagon.
Eyad came to Louisiana from Syria in August 2012 as a graduate student. He earned his Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from Louisiana State in 2018. A husband and a father of two, they all moved to Cedar Rapids, where he joined Mount Mercy University as an Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Statistics. He is now a Software Engineer at Collins Aerospace in Cedar Rapids.
For more information about the Iowa City Foreign Relations Council, visit icfrc.org.
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