In January of 2011, President Bashar al-Assad officially declared Syrian society stable and the government immune to revolt. In the months that followed, and as regimes fell in Egypt and Tunisia, thousands of ordinary Syrians took to the streets calling for an end to Assad's regime. Many have been killed by the bullets of the president's army.

In "Revolt in Syria," Stephen Starr delves deep into the lives of those affected by the Syrian state over the past five decades. Interviewing people from all levels of society, he gathers and interprets the varied views and beliefs that show why Syria, with its numerous sects and religious diversity, has been so prone to violence and civil instability. Gaining unique access to a country largely cut off from the international media, Starr delivers compelling firsthand testimony from those who have suffered and from those who benefited most from the regime. "Revolt in Syria" reveals why many Syrians wanted Assad's government to stay intact as an alternative to endless civil war. It measures the long-standing gap between the state apparatus and its people and explains what led Syria's youth to finally stand up and call decisively for freedom. Starr also outlines the positions of the country's minorities and describes why many Syrians believe enforced regime change will only lead to region-wide conflict.