Two participants in a 170 kilometer-long human chain along the Lebanese coast, on Oct. 27, 2019. (Credit: Patrick Baz/AFP Archives)
Questioned by its own people as much as by those intrigued by this small country’s existential complexity and turbulent destiny, Lebanon has yet to define its relationship with itself and with others. Yet, as unique as it may seem, Lebanon is not one of a kind. It is one of the many countries that emerged from the collapse of empires and the division of spheres of influence between the colonial powers that were fighting over the world a century ago. The debates over the foundation and legitimacy of these new states, the validity of their borders, the nature and composition of their populations, and the stability of their regional integration continue to unsettle national life, often resulting in accusations that they were artificially created.However, contrary to a simplistic historiography, Lebanon was not born out of nothing. It is the...
Questioned by its own people as much as by those intrigued by this small country’s existential complexity and turbulent destiny, Lebanon has yet to define its relationship with itself and with others. Yet, as unique as it may seem, Lebanon is not one of a kind. It is one of the many countries that emerged from the collapse of empires and the division of spheres of influence between the colonial powers that were fighting over the world a century ago. The debates over the foundation and legitimacy of these new states, the validity of their borders, the nature and composition of their populations, and the stability of their regional integration continue to unsettle national life, often resulting in accusations that they were artificially created.However, contrary to a simplistic historiography, Lebanon was not born out of nothing. It is...
