The Michel Chiha Foundation, the American University of Beirut (AUB), and Saint Joseph University (USJ) organized a seminar on Friday October 3rd, exploring Lebanese identity through the lens of academic research.
Titled "At the crossroads of history, culture, and geography: A multidimensional analysis of Lebanese identity," the event was moderated by Joseph Maïla, professor of geopolitics and international relations. Discussions focused on the cultural, geographical, and genetic heritage of modern Lebanon.
Speakers:
Fares el Dahdah,
Fadlo Khuri, Salim Daccache, Claude Doumet-Serhal
Amin Elias
Nadim Shehadi
Joanna Doummar
Annie Tohme Tabet, Youmna Makhlouf
Makram Rabah
Lina Choueiri
Marc Haber
Rui Martiniano
Mohamed Almarri
Joseph Maila
Moderator:
This event is organized by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at the American University of Beirut, in partnership with the Michel Chiha Foundation, Saint Joseph University, and the Good Governance & Citizenship Observatory at the Asfari Institute for Civil Society & Citizenship.
Moderated by Joseph Maila, presentations will begin by re-examining and re-contextualizing discussions that took place in the Cénacle Libanais and the various schools of thought that have emerged since the creation of the Lebanese Republic. Presentations will, in addition, explore the role of politics, law, linguistics, natural resources, and DNA studies in shaping contemporary and future identities, with the hope of seeing how such disciplines can both bolster and undermine different forms of national pride and/or mistrust. The goal is to ultimately examine challenges to the formation of a much desired level of trust in current constructions of a “national” identity, despite political instability, racketeering networks, economic crises, and emerging anti-immigrant discourses.