Syria 2011-2013: Revolution and Tyranny before the Mayhem

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Azmi Bisharas book on the Syrian Revolution is one of the most comprehensive and profound works on the subject published to date. Translated here into English for the first time, the study examines the complex roots of Syria's political and sectarian conflicts from the day revolution erupted on 15th March 2011 to its descent into civil war in the two years that followed. The book unearths and discusses the very first signs of protests from across Daraa, Hama, Aleppo, Damascus, Raqqa, Deir El Zour, Edlib and Homs, and it deals with Syria's ruralization process and the subsequent economic 'liberalization', which eventually led to the revolt against the Baath party. The work is based on high-level interviews, analysis of the country's socio-economic background, and examination of the Syrian regime's strategy and its political and media discourse. Syria's revolution is chronicled in two stages: the peaceful civil stage and the armed stage. Bishara's analysis first centres on the regime's strategy, unveiling despotism, massacres, kidnapping, sectarian tendencies, jihadist violence, the emergence of warlords, and the chaotic spread of arms. He then turns to the role of the opposition to narrate in detail the events that broke out and exactly how a peaceful protest turned into an armed struggle. The book provides a roadmap to how revolution broke out and is a comprehensive analysis of what drove those early events. Its publication brings renowned Arabic-language scholarship to the English-speaking world.

Reviews

Azmi Bisharas work constitutes a classic in the canon of literature on the Syrian Uprising. Bishara is not only a scholar providing detailed analyses of the tragic events unfolding between 2011-13, he is concurrently a political activist eloquently articulating the painful path to Syrias freedom. -- Omar Imady, University of St Andrews, UK
With this book, Azmi Bishara has produced the definitive account of the early years of Syrias revolution both through its inspiring phase of hope and then as it transformed into a brutal, bloody conflict. The period of 2011-13 was loaded with opportunities, but as Bishara makes clear, there were also many warnings of the grim future that likely lay ahead. As Bishara reflects, although so much of Syria today lies in ruins, "Syrians themselves have become free, having overcome the paralysis of fear and realized what they are capable of. Despite the haunting, painful story told throughout the book, that retrospective message of optimism should be a message received by all. -- Charles Lister * Middle East Institute *
Essential reading on the antecedents of the Syrian revolution and its evolution from popular uprising to violent conflict. Bishara moves from the micro to the macro seamlessly and draws on a wealth of print sources and original field research. The result is a comprehensive and convincing explanation of the tragic trajectory of the Syrian revolution. It will serve as a model for future studies of contemporary revolutions. -- Kevin Mazur * International Crisis Group *
This is the most detailed examination yet on the causes, course, and pivotal moments of the Syrian civil war. Bishara is to be commended for the extensive level of research conducted combined with a narrative prose that is accessible to the general public." David W. Lesch is the Ewing Halsell Distinguished Professor at Trinity University and author of Syria: A Modern History. -- Professor David Lesch * Trinity University *
This is a milestone in the literature on the early phase of the Syrian conflict, of which Bishara offers the best informed and most detailed account available. The wealth of primary sources, notably interviews with protagonists of the crisis, is truly remarkable. -- Thomas Pierret * Senior researcher at Aix Marseille Universit. *
This long-awaited translation of Bisharas masterful study of the early phases of the Syrian revolution is a superb and beautifully detailed account of the events that launched Syria on the path to conflict. Unsparing in his assessment of the Assad regime yet mindful of the oppositions frailty and constraints, Bishara gives voice to the determination of Syrians who took to the streets in 2011 and painstakingly traces the devastating effects of the violence the regime unleashed in response. Bisharas book is certain to become the standard reference on the subject, and essential reading on the origins and early development of Syrias ongoing tragedy. -- Professor Steven Heydemann * Smith College *

Author Bio

Azmi Bishara is an Arab intellectual, political writer and one of the most prominent scholars in the Arab world for his work on global issues and the Arab region in particular. Bishara is currently the General Director of the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, Qatar and chairs the Board of Trustees of the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, Qatar. Bishara received the Ibn Rushd Prize for Free Thought in 2002 and the Human Rights Award from Global Exchange in 2003.