“What’s the Difference Between Migrants and Refugees?”(Sarah Grey, The Establishment, October 2015)

Sarah Grey explains the assumptions and connotations underlying the words we use to describe the displaced victims of Syria’s civil war.

“This is What It’s Like to Be an LGBT Syrian Fleeing For Your Life.” (J. Lester Feder, BuzzFeed News, October 2015)

For LGBT refugees from the Middle East, it takes two years, minimum, for resettlement under the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Even after they leave Syria, legal, safe employment is not readily available; some return home, sick of waiting. Still others are assaulted, even killed, while waiting for relocation—victims of hate crimes.

“A Wedding Dress in Za’atari.” (Rania Abouzeid, The New Yorker, October 2013)

A snapshot of dreams deferred in the fourth largest city in Jordan—Za’atari, a refugee camp home to over 100,000 people fleeing Syria, Iran and other parts of the Middle East.

“A Jailed Activist’s 3-D Models Could Save Syria’s History From ISIS.” (Andy Greenberg, Wired, October 2015)

As ISIS destroys precious monuments and artifacts, digital activists are establishing the New Palmyra Project to preserve Syria’s history, and maybe—just maybe—free its founder, Bassel Khartabil, from prison.

“Caught Between ISIS and Assad.” (Molly Crabapple, VICE, June 2014)

Borders are gouged by war, contorted by diplomacy. But humans live in the borderlands. In those tents so close to Turkey, families suffer the consequences of geopolitics.

‘‘We Are So Proud’: the Women Who Died Defending Kobani Against ISIS.” (Mona Mahmood, The Guardian, January 2015)

Rather than live to see their families enslaved or killed, the four women eulogized in this moving collection—mothers, students and activists—took up arms to defend their hometown against the ravages of ISIS.

Source: Longreads.