“Under the Lebanese flag”: National Unity in the Movement of October 17th
“Under the Lebanese flag”: National Unity in the Movement of October 17th
Author(s): Marija RakickajaSubject(s): Regional Geography, Politics and society, Nationalism Studies, Present Times (2010 - today), Sociology of Politics, Sociology of Religion, Politics and Identity
Published by: Vilniaus universiteto leidykla & VU Tarptautinių santykių ir politikos mokslų institutas
Keywords: Lebanon; nationalism; social movements; sectarianism; confessionalism;
Summary/Abstract: This article aims to understand how national unity is being constructed in the context of the protest movement, started on October 17, 2019 in Lebanon, what it is grounded on and what is the role of the elite in the process. The study is based on an ethnographic study conducted in Beirut between October 17 and December 19, 2019 and analyzes the movement of October 17th as an instance of nation-building from below. It became clear that a unity across different communities has emerged from below and reached a “tipping point” coinciding with the movement of October 17th, which provided new spaces for people to engage in “viral peer-to-peer networking,” creating a “feedback loop” reinforcing unity based on shared grievances and the idea of a civil state. It is argued that the elite are not necessary for a national sentiment to emerge. Its durability is though assumed to be related to efficacy and thus possibly impacted by leadership.
Journal: Politologija
- Issue Year: 2020
- Issue No: 4(100)
- Page Range: 69-105
- Page Count: 37
- Language: English