Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book addresses key questions regarding the domestic origins of the Uprising and its early trajectory: what were the causes of the conflict, both in terms of structure and agency; trajectory: why did the Uprising not lead to democratization and instead descend into violent civil war with a sectarian dimension? It summarizes debates on the Syrian Uprising. The narrowing of the regime core from the ruling party to the presidential family is a dangerous move for authoritarian regimes but one that was common across the region and a key grievance driving the Arab uprisings. Grievances were significant in Syria but in some respects they may have been lower than in other Uprising states. Once the transition to democracy failed, Syria was set on a trajectory that could lead either to regime collapse in a revolution from below or else civil war and stalemate.