Dissecting Syria's ongoing insurgency from three perspectives—focusing on missed opportunities during the 2000s, transnational cyberactivism, and the profound impact of a famous Syrian actress's complex loyalties—the authors of The Syrian Uprising cast light on the underlying causes and early developments of the civil war. The book also includes a presidential advisory committee's memorandum to President al-Assad, revealing the telling gap between the president's famous public claims that the Arab Spring would not spread to Syria and the warnings of brewing troubles that he privately received.

Carsten Wieland is author of Syria at Bay: Secularism, Islamism, and "Pax Americana." Adam Almqvist is conducting research at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Lund University. Helena Nassif is conducting research at the Communication and Media Research Institute, University of Westminster.