Syria: From Conflict to Transition

With the world’s eyes on Syria, Maxine Davey reflects on Najwa al-Qattan’s essay on Rania Abouzeid’s “No Turning Back” and the human cost of the civil war.

By Maxine DaveyDecember 15, 2024

• Politics

• History

With the recent ousting of Assad, Maxine Davey reflects on Najwa al-Qattan’s piece from 2018 examining an “in-depth history of the Syrian Civil War.”

The capture of Damascus by Syrian rebels last week marked the end of Bashar al-Assad’s regime and the start of a new era for Syria after nearly 14 years of civil war. As the rebel coalition and remnants of the regime negotiate a transitional government, Rania Abouzeid’s No Turning Back: Life, Loss, and Hope in Wartime Syria (2018) reminds us of the war’s origins in grassroots hope—and of the civilians whose lives have been irrevocably altered by conflict and violence. Her stories of peaceful activists, reluctant rebels, and devastated families illuminate a truth too often overlooked: revolutions are won and lost not just in the pursuit of power, but also in the hearts and minds of ordinary people.

Najwa al-Qattan’s review of Abouzeid’s book offers crucial insights into the human cost of revolution, a theme ever more salient today as the rebel coalition looks to establish a transitional government. Al-Qattan describes how Abouzeid’s focus on a “cast of characters […] anchor[s] her narrative and humanize[s] it”; her subjects function as powerful reminders of “the countless Syrian civilians who started a peaceful uprising, only to be both devoured and forgotten by most of the actors involved, many of whom were supposedly waging a revolution on their behalf.” While civilians played critical roles in the early days of the 2011 uprising, civilian-led protests morphed into militarized campaigns over the course of the conflict. Credited with leading the 2024 uprising, the Turkish-backed group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has raised many human right concerns and is designated a terrorist organization by the United States.

Abouzeid offers a nuanced portrayal of the roles of foreign actors—like Turkey—in the Syrian civil war. Al-Qattan praises Abouzeid’s ability to track complex events and help readers “navigate the dizzying array of local, regional, and international actors and the shifting allegiances.” Abouzeid documents how international agendas intensified the violence and fragmented the opposition to the regime, dynamics mirrored in Syria’s current political landscape. By detailing the involvement of nations such as Iran, Russia, and Turkey, as well as Western powers, Abouzeid’s work serves as a reminder that while foreign powers may claim to act in the name of liberation or stability, their involvement often perpetuates cycles of violence and displacement. Al-Qattan draws attention to how Abouzeid humanizes this geopolitical chaos by grounding it in the lives of civilians, challenging the reader to consider the real cost of prioritizing strategic ambitions over the well-being of people.

Abouzeid’s commitment to documenting human connection extends beyond the research for her book. In a piece published last week in The New Yorker, Abouzeid describes a conversation with Maysaara, whose life she documented in No Turning Back. Abouzeid explains, six years after her book’s publication, that Maysaara is making immediate plans to return home after years of living in exile. She documents his great joy and the feeling that freedom from oppression feels like being “born again.”

As the eyes of the world focus on Syria, Abouzeid’s No Turning Back reminds us that revolutions are not just about toppling dictators but also about building a future that honors the sacrifices of those who dreamed of something better. Her work challenges us to ask: Will the new leaders honor the needs of the people, or will they perpetuate the same cycles of violence and control? What role can, should, and will the global community play to ensure that Syria’s next chapter does not repeat the tragedies of the past? For the Syrian people, and for all those watching, the answer to these questions will shape the future of the nation and the meaning of revolution itself.