Taylor McConnell completed an MSc in International Development at the University of Edinburgh in 2015. Originally from Central Pennsylvania, Taylor traveled through the Balkans and developed a keen interest in the post-war history of Bosnia, particularly in reconciling national identity, memory and development policy, leading him to move to Sarajevo in May 2015.
In 2011, peaceful protests started in Daraa, Syria following a wave of large-scale protests across the Arab world. Bashar al-Assad's regime brutally cracked down on all opposition to his rule and met protests with violent repression.
Women who chose to wear a hijab – the headscarf worn by Muslim women as a religious custom – are sometimes subjected to jokes, negative comments, prejudice, and stereotypes. Usually, they simply ignore this. Instead, they focus on professional and social development, proving that women, covered or uncovered, are not just meant to stay at home.