Three books on armed group transformation
New
In December 2024, to global astonishment, former al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) led a coalition to overthrow the Syrian regime. This fascinating account unravels HTS's dramatic transformation since 2019, from a besieged insurgent enclave to a conservative Islamist government.
Drawing on interviews with HTS leaders including Ahmad al-Sharaa himself—as well as diplomats, dissidents and opponents—the authors reveal the group's pragmatic evolution while ruling Idlib province, in the face of global and local constraints. They uncover how HTS approached religious minorities, redefined its understanding of sharia, and embraced a non-radical conservative society. HTS reshaped its identity not only in northwest Syria, but on the world stage, aligning with NATO member and secular republic Turkey, confronting both al-Qaeda and Islamic State, and marginalising die-hards in its own ranks, in favour of a popular, mosque-based Islam.
This book offers a glimpse into HTS's extraordinary journey, blending frontline narratives with sharp analysis to decode the group's success in outmanoeuvring the regime and mapping its own path to power.
Reviews & Endorsements — 25
Robert MalleyYale University, former Middle East advisor to Presidents Clinton, Obama, and Biden; former CEO of the International Crisis Group
+Haenni and Drevon have done the impossible: They stuck with the Syrian tragedy long after others had shifted their attention, focused on Hayat Tahrir al-Sham at a time when it was not yet fashionable, and enjoyed deep familiarity with Syria's new leaders as everyone else had to play catch up. The result is a gem, a superb, edifying and eye-opening account of the evolution of the jihadist movement and a definitive response to those who wonder whether Sharaa's conversion and HTS's deradicalization are genuine or counterfeit. If any policymaker ever questions the utility of field work, you now have your answer: Just give them a copy of Transformed by the People. They won't regret it.
Marc LynchProfessor of Political Science, George Washington University
+The authors have marshalled a tremendous amount of unique field research to develop a coherent, controversial, and ultimately convincing account of the pragmatic evolution of HTS.
Martin SmithPBS Frontline correspondent
+Transformed by the People looks beyond the hysterics of the War on Terror and takes a serious historical view of the forces at play. Being the first westerners to reach out and connect with Hayat Tahrir al Sham and its leadership, Haenni and Drevon—in ground breaking fieldwork—reveal the deeper processes behind al Sharaa's moderation. This work will stand as an essential guide for any future analysts that aim at real explanation over simple polemics.
Peter BergenAuthor, The Rise and Fall of Osama bin Laden
+Haenni and Drevon have written a timely and original book that helps illuminate a critical issue: how and why the new leaders of Syria transformed from jihadists into pragmatists.
Monika Schmutz KirgözAssistant State Secretary, MENA Division, Switzerland
+Those curious about Syria, its recent history, and its new transitional government will find all the necessary information and food for thought in this book. The history and transformation of HTS are presented meticulously, insightfully, and analytically. Black and white are passé; it is the shades of grey that strengthen our understanding of this enigmatic and fascinating movement and its leaders. For those who need or want to engage with the new Syria politically, this book is essential.
Faisal DevjiBeit Professor of Global and Imperial History, University of Oxford
+Rather than labelling HTS in the received terms of analysis as being "liberal", "secular", or even "realist", the authors argue that it represents a new and uncharted political experiment which moves beyond such categories but has not yet established its own.
Olivier RoyProfessor, European University Institute
+An extraordinary book that dissects a complex phenomenon in a provocative and original manner. It does not dwell on paradoxes but shows concretely how a jihadist leader can evolve into a responsible national politician without denying himself. It is a rare example of analysis of political sociology based on in-depth fieldwork that manages to avoid value judgments and ideological polemics.
Ambassador James F. JeffreyFormer US Special Representative for Syria Engagement
+Transformed by the People is a vital resource for understanding the remarkable journey of this formerly terrorist organisation into a major, and quite possibly stabilising, force not just in Syria but the entire Middle East.
Manal LotfyAl-Ahram Weekly
+HTS stands out as one of the few jihadist movements to embrace politics not merely rhetorically but institutionally. It has embedded itself in governance structures, local administration, and service provision, presenting its moderation as authenticity rather than compromise. Haenni and Drevon offer a timely analysis of how a jihadi faction reinvented itself as a governing force in post-Al-Assad Syria.
Hassan al-KhatibAl-Arabi al-Jadid (Arabic)
+The book focuses on the ideological, administrative and societal context in Idlib during the period from 2019 to 2024, during which Hayat Tahrir al-Sham underwent a dramatic change, and is an important introduction to understanding the mechanisms by which the organization governs in the transitional phase, and the roles it will play in the future.
Al-JazeeraArabic review
+The book elaborates on the radical transformation that has occurred in Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and its leader, transformations which it sees as not being a sudden moment or a declared ideological coup, but rather a series of tactical adjustments and gradual local adaptations over the years.
Ala ZayatAl-Jumhuriya (Arabic)
+What Patrick Haenni and Jérôme Drevon show in their book is that the movement's transformations did not stem from an ideological reassessment of jihadist Salafism. Instead, they emerged from the surrounding social conditions and the need to respond to them—conditions that imposed an unavoidable pragmatism on the group. By embracing this pragmatism, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham effectively allowed itself to be "transformed by the people."
Jørgen JensehaugenJournal of Peace Research
+Few analysts, if any, are able to do so with as deep a knowledge and as clearsighted analysis as Patrick Haenni and Jerome Drevon. Transformed by the People takes us through HTS' transformation in both a topical and chronological sense, showing how a wide variety of dynamics impacted the change. These include an increased nationalized focus, a consolidation of power, a politicization of their approach, a respect for local traditions and reactions to civil society, as well as engagement with external actors. The authors describe the result as Thermidorian, referring to the more moderate or centrist phase of the French revolution.
Usman ButtMiddle East Monitor
+The research was years in the making and included interviews with Al-Sharaa himself, HTS members, diplomats and opponents of the group; it paints a fascinating picture of the evolution of the movement. Transformed By The People is an important intervention into ongoing debates about Syria's future. Crucially, it also shows how susceptible the group can be to popular pressure and the role civil society can play in changing the direction of the group.
Nicolas LepoutreNonfiction (French)
+Patrick Haenni and Jerome Drevon ultimately offer a valuable and convincing analysis of the normalization of a former jihadist group without, however, presenting an idealized portrait of it.
Deborah AmosSlate
+The book makes the persuasive case that Sharaa was forced to bend to local, less radical sensibilities in Idlib when he formed the Syrian Salvation government in 2017, seven years before he came to power in a stunning, lightning military campaign this past winter. The authors call it "the revenge of society"—ordinary Syrians pushing back until the movement itself was reshaped.
Adnan KhanThe Geopolity
+The book's greatest insight lies in its extraordinary access. Haenni and Drevon conducted repeated field visits to HTS-controlled areas, maintaining sustained dialogue with its leaders, including Ahmed al-Sharaa, religious authorities, local activists, and civilian populations. Their analysis goes beyond intelligence-based or doctrinal readings of jihadist movements—focusing instead on the social and political sociology of power.
JP O'MalleyThe Irish Examiner
+Haenni and Drevon are both experts on this recent chapter of Syrian history, having watched much of it unfold in real time. They have carried out more than a decade of field research in North-West Syria, which eventually led them to interview al-Sharaa and his close associates.
Oliver FarryThe Irish Times
+Patrick Haenni and Jerome Drevon's impressive study of the group, based on a wide range of detailed interviews, including with Shaara and other figures in HTS, charts this deradicalisation, which the authors contend was born of pragmatism to survive in the ever-fragmented insurgent landscape of mid-2010s Syria. Transformed by the People is by its nature a book that will have a particularly select readership but it is probably the best of its kind in English to date on the subject and is essential reading for anyone with an interest in Syria in the post-Assad era.
Christopher PhillipsThe Middle East Journal
+The book draws heavily on field research conducted over several years, including dozens of interviews not only with HTS figures but also with critics and ordinary residents of north-west Syria. These interviews alone, including several with al-Sharaa himself, make the book comparatively unique, building a rich picture of HTS rule long before most scholars and journalists turned their attention to the group. This is an exceptionally well-researched and detailed book that will serve as a valuable case study for scholars of Islamism and jihadism, particularly those interested in deradicalization and Islamists in power.
Robert BociagaThe New Arab
+Transformed by the People offers a bold reinterpretation of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), tracing its metamorphosis from al-Qaeda's Syrian branch into an authoritarian, state-seeking actor. Perhaps most provocative is the book's comparative ambition. Instead of confining HTS to the 'jihadi' box, the authors juxtapose its trajectory with the Thermidorian turn of the French Revolution and with the normalisation strategies of far-right parties in Europe. Its central insight — that deradicalisation does not require moderates, and that intentions matter less than institutions and incentives — is both novel and persuasive. This reframes deradicalisation as a structural process, not a moral one, with implications beyond Syria.
Alexander McKeeverThis Week in Northern Syria
+They convincingly argue that al-Shar' and HTS abandoned the project of salafi-jihadism during this period of retrenchment, using what the authors term "deradicalization" and "relocalization" to consolidate its rule and build hegemony over Idlib. Haenni and Drevon argue that Tahrir al-Sham's evolution was not pre-planned or based on a new coherent doctrine, but rather it was a silent "transformation stemming from a series of tactical choices that gradually took on a strategic dimension."
JP O'MalleyThe New World
+Haenni and Drevon write about Syria's present government as "a former al-Qaeda franchise allowing itself to be transformed by the people" within "a silent revolution". Both authors claim al-Sharaa is neither a democrat, nor an autocrat, but an optimistic realist, learning, on an ad hoc basis, how to win the respect of the international community.
Jonathan SpyerThe Wall Street Journal
+Their book is the first such comprehensive study of HTS and is likely to presage much further research and examination. The authors are among the few researchers who did not move on from Syria once it no longer commanded world headlines. The details of HTS governance in Idlib provided in Transformed by the People are fascinating and informative, drawing on the authors' extensive fieldwork in the region.
Tam HusseinUnherd
+Indeed, according to an informative new book on HTS, its political evolution is not unlike that of far-Right groups in Europe. To wield power, explain its authors Patrick Haenni and Jerome Drevon, al-Sharaa had to move to the centre. Of course, there are still radicals on the periphery, but he increasingly relied on a broad Sunni populism over hardcore ideologues. Extremists — notably Osama Qasem, leader of Egyptian Islamic Jihad and once celebrated for his ties to al-Qaeda — were compelled to step down after being deemed a "liability".
Open Access
The Syrian regime unleashed unprecedented violence to suppress large-scale non-violent protests amid the Arab uprisings. Hundreds of armed groups formed throughout the country to defend the protesters and fight back. However, in contrast to other conflicts previously dominated by al-Qaeda and Islamic State, the two largest Syrian Jihadi groups, Ahrar al-Sham and then Jabhat al-Nusra, rejected global jihad and began to cultivate new ties with the population, other armed opposition groups, and even foreign states. This strategic shift is a response to the Jihadi paradox—a realization that while Jihadis excel at leading insurgencies, they fail to achieve political victories.
In From Jihad to Politics, Jerome Drevon offers an examination of the Syrian armed opposition, tracing the emergence of Jihadi groups in the conflict, their dominance, and their political transformation. Drawing upon field research and interviews with Syrian insurgents in northwestern Syria and Turkey, Drevon demonstrates how the context of a local conflict can shape armed groups' behavior in unexpected ways. Further, he marshals unique evidence from the Arab world's most intense conflict to explain why the trajectory of the transnational Jihadi movement has altered course in recent years.
Reviews & Endorsements — 13
Stathis N. KalyvasGladstone Professor of Government, All Souls College, Oxford
+An indefatigable researcher of the jihadi phenomenon with deep and nuanced knowledge and solid ground presence, Drevon focuses on the Syrian conflict to ask fundamental questions and provide compelling answers about the nature, trajectory, and future of jihadi rebellions. A must read for students of conflict.
Thomas HegghammerSenior Fellow, All Souls College, Oxford
+A vital contribution to our understanding of the Syrian insurgency and of militant Islamism. ISIS may have gotten all the attention, but the groups examined in this book probably shaped the Syria war more.
Marc LynchProfessor of Political Science, George Washington University
+The book stands out for its empirical depth and richness, grounded in Drevon's uniquely extensive field research inside of opposition controlled Syria. From Jihad to Politics immediately becomes a must-read for anyone working on issues related to Islamist politics, jihadist insurgencies, civil wars, or the Syrian war specifically.
Habiba AliAl-Sharq Strategic Research
+Drevon's From Jihad to Politics offers a fresh and nuanced perspective on the evolution of jihadist groups, emphasizing the centrality of institutionalization in shaping their trajectories. By exploring governance, coalition-building, and politicization themes, the book provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the complex interplay of ideology, pragmatism, and external pressures in jihadist politics. Ultimately, Drevon's work is not just an academic exercise; it is a call for a more sophisticated understanding of jihadist groups, one that recognizes their capacity for adaptation and the broader implications of their evolution for conflict resolution.
Lisa AndersonForeign Affairs
+This book provides a detailed portrait of the jihadi opposition force that would take over the country. Drevon argues that it evolved into a more conventionally political movement, adroitly outflanking competitors and effectively managing municipal affairs in the territory under its control. As governments around the world debate whether the new regime is as moderate and pragmatic as its leaders claim, this book presents an insightful study of a shapeshifting operation.
Roger HardyInternational Affairs
+The book's analysis helps us understand not only how the thinking of HTS and its leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, evolved, but also the extent to which the group remains a coalition of disparate forces that are not entirely under his control. Drevon's objective—both challenging and controversial—is to de-exceptionalize these groups and argue that, under certain circumstances, they can become regular political actors. Its concluding pages make a bold case for policy-makers to engage with groups that they have hitherto shunned. As recent events have shown, all too often, bombs and drones are not enough.
Mohamed Fouz Mohamed ZackyIntellectual Discourse
+The author emphasises that jihadists are political actors who evolve and adapt in response to socio-political and external influences. Conventional wisdom suggests that these jihadists are ideologically driven fanatics who further radicalise as conflicts escalate, with the only way forward being to silence their leaders and supporters. However, the Syrian case offers a different approach: engaging with them, addressing the root of the problem, and providing incentives to encourage them to become accountable actors in a political conflict while acknowledging partly at least the legitimacy of their demands.
Bilal SalaymehMajala al-Fratz (Arabic)
+The book's significance lies in its theoretical and analytical contributions to understanding jihadist movements and the Syrian conflict, offering a framework to examine the contradictions in Western policies toward Islamist groups. The model of organization and political development presented by Drevon is crucial for understanding the disparity between self-politicization and external politicization. It highlights how Western countries may be open to engaging with armed Islamist groups in Syria.
Raphaël LefèvrePerspectives on Politics
+From Jihad to Politics is an important step in the enterprise of de-exceptionalising the study of jihadi groups. This book brilliantly illuminates the organizational dynamics of ideology. The breadth, depth, and originality of the empirical material unearthed in these books make them standard references for scholars and students of Middle Eastern and North African politics.
Fabrice BalanchePolitique Etrangère (French)
+Jérôme Drevon conducted numerous interviews in Syria with Islamist actors, excerpts of which he often quotes. These testimonies are original and invaluable. This information helps us understand why Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) became dominant within the armed opposition and in its struggle against Bashar al-Assad.
Ahmed Sahal K. P.Small Wars & Insurgencies
+Drevon's work is impressive in its use of diverse sources and extended fieldwork in rebel-held areas. His ability to access high-level jihadist leaders provides a rare insider perspective on these groups. The book significantly contributes to our broader understanding of jihadist groups and armed Islamist movements. Drevon's meticulous research and thoughtful analysis challenge readers to move beyond simplistic narratives about Islamist radicalization and consider the complex interplay of factors shaping these groups' trajectories.
Abdalla NasefTahrir Podcast
+Jerome Drevon's analysis of Syrian jihadi groups, particularly Ahrar al-Sham and Jabhat al-Nusra, explores their shift from global jihadist ideologies to localized political strategies. Through interviews with former militants, Drevon reveals how these groups adapted to gain local support, form alliances, and engage in governance, moving beyond insurgency. Drevon's work offers crucial insights into the intersection of militancy and politics, deepening our understanding of the evolving dynamics of the Syrian conflict and global jihadism.
Raphaël LefèvreThe Middle East Journal
+From Jihad to Politics is a tour de force: it not only provides a timely investigation into the background and evolution of the new rulers of post-Assad Syria. The book's greatest strength lies in weaving fine-grained empirical field research with rich theoretical engagement. From Jihad to Politics sets a new standard not only for those studying the Syrian conflict but also for scholars of jihadism and armed conflict more broadly.
Open Access
Institutionalizing Violence offers a detailed focus on the two most influential Egyptian jihadi groups—al-Jama'a al-Islamiyya and Islamic Jihad. From the killing of Egyptian president Anwar Sadat in 1981 to their partial association with al-Qaeda in the 1990s, the two groups illustrate the range of choices that jihadis make overtime including creating political parties. Jerome Drevon argues that these groups' comparative trajectories show that jihadis embracing the same ideology can make very different strategic decisions in similar environments. Drevon's analysis of these groups' histories over the past four decades illustrates the evolution of jihadism in Egypt and beyond.
Institutionalizing Violence develops an institutional approach to radicalization to compare the two Egyptian groups' trajectories based on ethnographic field research and hundreds of interviews with jihadi leaders and militants in Egypt. Drevon provides a unique perspective on how jihadi groups make and implement new strategic decisions in changing environments, as well as the evolution of their approaches to violence and non-violence.
Reviews & Endorsements — 7
Barak MendelsohnHaverford University
+Jerome Drevon's Institutionalizing Violence is a remarkable piece of scholarship. It advances our theoretical understanding of Salafi groups' radicalization and de-radicalization, and the centrality of institutionalization to groups' strategic choices. Its empirical chapters, focused on Egyptian Salafi-Jihadi groups, are fascinating, the result of exceptional access to important figures in these organizations. Drevon also has a unique ability to breathtakingly tell their story. This book is a must read for students of social movements, terrorism studies, and the Jihadi movement.
Isak SvenssonUppsala University
+If we want to find new and more constructive ways of managing the threat stemming from jihadist militancy, we need to understand how jihadist organizations function. In this excellent book, Jérôme Drevon draws on unique material gathered through extensive in-country research in Egypt, and convincingly shows how different types of jihadist organizational patterns influence the groups' trajectories, including the chances for conflict termination and political accommodation. A must-read for anyone interested in jihadist militancy and the sociology of violence more broadly.
Leah FarrallFormer senior counterterrorism analyst, Australian Federal Police
+Richly researched, considered, and incisive, Institutionalizing Violence is a work that not only deserves wide readership, but is one with which all serious researchers of jihadist movements must contend. Jerome Drevon's excellent scholarship and exceptional access to historical figures in Egypt's most influential jihadist groups combine here in a new study that provides unique insight into strategic decision making within militant organizations. For these reasons, this book is essential reading.
ChoiceAcademic review
+Drevon advances a well-grounded theoretical understanding of the radicalization and de-radicalization of Salafi groups and the centrality of institutionalization to the groups' strategic choices. Drevon's excellent book draws on unique materials gathered through extensive, in-country research in Egypt, which convincingly shows how different types of jihadist organizational patterns influence the trajectories of the groups, including their chances for conflict termination and political accommodation. This richly researched project is excellent scholarship because of the exceptional access Drevon had to historical figures in Egypt's most influential jihadist groups, which provides unique insight into strategic decision-making within militant organizations.
European Eye on Radicalization
+Institutionalizing Violence. Strategies of Jihad in Egypt is one of the very few works capable of constructing a theoretical framework that thoroughly analyzes the peculiarities of two specific jihadist groups and, at the same time, can be relevant outside Egypt for the study of other instances of political violence and jihadist movements' dynamics.
Khalil al-AnaniPerspectives on Politics
+Drevon offers a comprehensive examination of the origins of Salafi jihadism in Egypt, through a thorough and rigorous approach that is grounded in extensive field research. His analysis is both insightful and thought-provoking, making it a valuable addition to the field of Islamism studies and political science more broadly.
Perspectives on Terrorism
+This is a highly detailed and authoritative account of the Sunni Egyptian al-Jama'a al-Islamiyya and Islamic Jihad — two leading jihadist terrorist groups that were active in Egypt beginning in the 1970s. This book is recommended as an important comparative case study on the two jihadi organisations and the factors driving the divergent paths that such organisations pursue to pursue their political and socio-religious objectives.