Principal Investigator |
Raneem Diab Researcher |
Nadim Saadeh Ex-participants |
Elie Azar + Lea Ghandour + Linda Panjarian + Hazem Hazed + Jana Massoud Author |
Raneem Diab + Nader Akoum + Linda Panjarian
The 'Collective Identity Project' brings forth youth politicians and members of independent CSOs’ activist groups to a round table dialogue about the Lebanese identity. CIP is a scientific research project using a mixed methods data collection approach to identify and understand the common ground for the Lebanese identity, which is a necessity given the increase in horizontal and vertical cleavages. This research began in a period when mobilization mechanisms, youth activist group activities, and opposition groups were rising and continued at a time of multifold crises, state absenteeism, and shaping the current Lebanese state of affairs. The research paper, infographics, one-pager, and other documents will invent a manifesto that will reflect the identity that the progressive Lebanese uprising is defending.
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Impact
Partnerships for Development, Cultural Awareness, Access to Knowledge, and Social Inclusion.
Research Question
TBA
Project Background
Between 2020 and 2022, several debates took place between youth representatives from progressive political organizations, anti-corruption advocacy entities, and change-making individuals in order to commence a long-term intervention regarding the topic of Lebanese Identity. Some representative organizations included National Bloc, Beirut Madinati, LiHaqqi, Minteshreen, Sawti, Progressive student clubs from LAU, AUB, LIU, LU, and Student Union in Lebanon. The ground for internal discussions and chains of debates was invented by bringing together independent autonomous understandings of identity, also known as self-identification metrics, and investigating historical patterns of similar dialogues via compilation of literary references.
In 2023, a focus group of youth volunteers that identified with the larger group was established. Much of the sourced data was from different civil society organizations and unaffiliated [anti-corruption] authors and then internalized and digested by the researchers of CIP under debates about culture, politics, and religion, all of which is the foundation for the coming body of work.
Discussion workshops took place, where youth brainstormed collective questions around the Lebanese identity. Formulating different perspectives that frame a national identity and angles that fracture a unified one.
Project Narrative
The controversy of the Lebanese Identity is an ongoing issue that still manifests itself to this day. The 2021 Tayouneh clashes between various Lebanese military and paramilitary groups, in addition to the recent war front in southern Lebanon since October 7th 2023, a somewhat neglected and what could be described as intentionally forgotten occurrence, are prime examples of the tensions surrounding the Lebanese Identity. The controversy of the Lebanese identity dates back to before the civil war [1975-1990], and happens to be the genesis of many issues that the country struggles with today. According to scholars, Lebanon’s crisis of identity has been the source of much discord in since the Middle Ages, resulting in bouts of interreligious conflict in the nineteenth century with the civil war being the most recent and concrete example [Nader, M. A., & Nader, M. A.,2012]. These repercussions are not very far from today, with sectarian strife and violence revisiting the streets of Beirut, exemplified both in the Tayouneh neighborhood and the situation in the South, where the “crossing of sectarian red lines'' reminds everybody of the boundaries dividing religions and sects, bringing us nowhere close a collective identity. This has caused, with citizens’ religion being listed on the identification cards, no access to civil marriage despite various efforts by the civil society, and the subjection of personal laws and affairs to religiously affiliated courts [Cammett, 2021]. It is in this context that we find it necessary, now more than ever, to formulate a clear understanding of a collective Lebanese identity as a base of understanding and community work.
Development
The research has secured funding from the Friedrich Naumann Foundation. The work’s updates are to be announced step by step. The research paper is expected to integrate both qualitative and quantitative approaches, this methodology ensures a holistic understanding of Lebanese identity, in the hopes of capturing its multifaceted nature and complexities.
Future Prospects
The research report will extensively add to the Lebanese literature on the mobilization of alternative-system supporters which would then be a crucial reference to understand intergroup dialogues in this era of activism. The resulting one-pager will be circulated around all CSOs and progressive collectives in the country to sign on it in the hopes of setting the foundation for a better understanding of the differences and similarities among Lebanese CSOs and activist groups. The results will feed into the mission’s next steps.