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A Journey through Many Syrias xxi 1. Islam in Syria 1 2. Christianity in Syria 39 3. Sectarianism in Syria 4. Guardians of the Homeland: State and Society in Syria 5. In many instances, I have chosen transliterations of Arabic names and words that conform to popular as opposed to scholarly usage e. I have not endeavored to identify every source I consulted. Rather, I have used endnotes sparingly in order to credit the authors and texts that have influenced my thinking, and to point readers to further material should they become interested in par- ticular subjects, both broad and narrow.
My greatest debt of gratitude goes to those who volunteered to read the manuscript in its entirety. Their confidence in the project buoyed my spirits, and their insights greatly improved the final product. The two anonymous referees commissioned by Hurst offered superb advice and saved me from many careless errors.
I am grateful for their help. I would also like to express my thanks to the following individu- als, who read portions of the text and gave input concerning the publishing process: Likewise, Michael Dwyer, publisher at C. He and the entire staff of Hurst deserve great thanks for seeing this book through to the end.
I would also like to acknowledge the help and support of the staff at Oxford University Press, New York. For the ability to study and travel extensively in the Middle East, I would like thank the following academic institutions: I began and later completed this book while at the Institut fran- pais du Proche-Orient in Beirut.
