"This unique, deeply researched, and beautifully presented volume sheds light on the ongoing transformations inside of regime-controlled areas of Syria during a decade in which most people thought the war had ended and few had access to developments on the ground. Syrians in the Shadow of War is a unique and essential volume produced by an outstanding group of young and long-anonymous Syrian researchers, whose careful, thoughtful, sensitive, and courageous field research goes deep into how Syrian politics, society, state, and economy evolved. Essential reading for understanding why Assad's regime fell so suddenly and the challenges which have followed."--Marc Lynch, The George Washington University, and author of America's Middle East "Expertly researched, deeply insightful, and beautifully written, this book is a must-read. Its essays probe the most essential issues facing Syria's recent past, present, and future, bringing them to life with both unique discernment and vivid lived detail. Synaps's Syria team has been producing vital knowledge anonymously for years. We can now all thank them, by name, for this invaluable and one-of-a-kind contribution."--Wendy Pearlman, author of We Crossed A Bridge and It Trembled: Voices from Syria and The Home I Worked to Make: Voices from the New Syrian Diaspora "How civilians navigate conflict, secure their needs and protect themselves; how societies break, struggle, and morph; how war entrepreneurs fight, capture, and shape.

These are the fundamental questions that this volume illuminates by centering the principal actors of the Syrian tragedy. The methodical, empathetic approach adopted by the writers brings out the angst, confusion, aspirations, and fears that define war, just as much as the geopolitical machinations and battlefield developments that get considerably more attention. Syrians have suffered immensely but they have proven ingenious and resilient: this volume details the many small acts of heroism it takes to survive and hopefully overcome."--Emile Hokayem, International Institute for Strategic Studies "This is an important book. Based on extensive fieldwork by a new generation of Syrian researchers, it explores the crucial final years of the Assad regime, offering nuanced insight into the struggles of Syrians to endure, even persevere, as Syria's conflict settled into what appeared as a period of stagnation. Presented with rare depth and empathy, the authors convey a rich sense of the creativity and vitality but also the despair and anxieties that constituted the lived experiences of Syrians during the years from 2018 to the regime's collapse in late 2024. These experiences have shaped the landscape of post-Assad Syria in profound ways, giving this volume relevance as a guide not only to Syria's recent past, but to how Syrians are navigating the hard work of building a different future."--Steven Heydemann, Smith College.