Conflict on Mount Lebanon: The Druze, The Maronites And Collective Memory
By (author) Rabah, Makram
Explores the course and the nature of the conflict between the Druze and the Maronites arguably the two founding communities of modern Lebanon.
The Druze and the Maronites arguably the two founding communities of modern Lebanon have the reputation of being primordial enemies. Makram Rabah attempts to gauge the impact of collective memory on determining the course and the nature of the conflict between these communities in Mount Lebanon. He takes as his focus ''the War of the Mountain'' in 1982, reconstructing the events of this war through the framework of collective remembrance and oral history. He challenges the idea that these group identities were constructed by their respective centers of power within the Maronite and Druze communities, providing an alternative to the prevailing meta-narrative. Telling the stories of the many people who took part in these events, or who simply suffered as a consequence, helps to expose the intrinsic motives which led to this conflict and makes a valuable contribution to the field of Lebanese historical scholarship.
Description
The Druze and the Maronites arguably the two founding communities of modern Lebanon have the reputation of being primordial enemies. Makram Rabah attempts to gauge the impact of collective memory on determining the course and the nature of the conflict between these communities in Mount Lebanon. He takes as his focus ''the War of the Mountain'' in 1982, reconstructing the events of this war through the framework of collective remembrance and oral history. He challenges the idea that these group identities were constructed by their respective centers of power within the Maronite and Druze communities, providing an alternative to the prevailing meta-narrative. Telling the stories of the many people who took part in these events, or who simply suffered as a consequence, helps to expose the intrinsic motives which led to this conflict and makes a valuable contribution to the field of Lebanese historical scholarship.
Biographical note
Makram Rabah, Lecturer in the Department of History, the American University of Beirut.