A House Of Many Mansions

By (author) Salibi, Kamal

Lebanon is one of the world's most divided countries, yet the Lebanese have never shown a keener consciousness of common identity. Kamal S. Salibi examines the historical myths on which his country's warring communities have based their conflicting visions of the Lebanese nation.

The Lebanese have always lacked a common vision of their past. From the beginning Muslims and Christians have disagreed fundamentally over their country's historical legitimacy: Christians on the whole have affirmed it, and Muslims have tended to emphasize Lebanon's place in a broader Arab history. Both groups have used nationalist ideas in a destructive game, which at a deeper level involves archaic loyalties and tribal rivalries. However, Lebanon cannot afford these conflicting visions if it is to develop and maintain a sense of political community. In the course of his lively exposition, Salibi offers a major reinterpretation of Lebanese history and provides insights into the dynamic of Lebanon's recent conflict. He also gives an account of how the images of communities that underlie modern nationalism are created.

Kamal Salibi was born in Beirut in 1929. He studies in Beirut and London and is currently Professor of History at the American University of Beirut. He has published many articles, among his books are The Modern History of Lebanon and Crossroads to Civil War.