During Ramadan afternoons in al-dahiyya al-junubiyya, the southern suburbs of Beirut, while most people are rushing through traffic to arrive home before iftar, a bustle of activity fills a... Show moreDuring Ramadan afternoons in al-dahiyya al-junubiyya, the southern suburbs of Beirut, while most people are rushing through traffic to arrive home before iftar, a bustle of activity fills a warehouse on a prominent street corner. A crowd of over one hundred people waits impatiently on one side of the building. On the other side, separated by a colourfully wallpapered partition, fifteen well-dressed women volunteers rush around filling plastic containers with food and packing them into bags along with bread, soda, vegetables, and sweets. At a table along the partition's edge, two volunteers hand these bags to those in the waiting crowd. Another table is occupied by several wealthy donors, sitting with two more volunteers, who entertain them while keeping track of the many children rushing around trying to help. This is the scene one hour before sunset during Ramadan at the food distribution centre of the Social Advancement Association (SAA). Show less
By going through this wonderful website, I saw myself walking the street of my village long time ago with my cousins. That was the best time of my life.' 'It gives me a big pleasure to belong to... Show moreBy going through this wonderful website, I saw myself walking the street of my village long time ago with my cousins. That was the best time of my life.' 'It gives me a big pleasure to belong to the big family of Joun. I will always have the wonderful days in my memory and my heart that I spent in this dear village. These memories I will pass on to my children and grandchildren.' 'Proud to be a Jouni. It is a wonderful page that reminds me of my village.' These are a few comments found in the visitors book of the homepage of a Lebanese village called Joun (http://joun.leb.net). Show less
The civil war in Lebanon is over. Sectarianism is not. This simple observation should make all scholars who analyse sectarianism (or communalism) pause and reflect on the nature of the problem that... Show moreThe civil war in Lebanon is over. Sectarianism is not. This simple observation should make all scholars who analyse sectarianism (or communalism) pause and reflect on the nature of the problem that they are so often called upon to explain. In Lebanon and elsewhere - in India, Indonesia, the Philippines, and the Balkans - religious violence and sectarian political discourse have not diminished in the modern world, and in fact, in many instances have been exacerbated in it. Show less
Most recent scholarly publications on and interests in political Islam in Lebanon cover primarily Hizbullah, the leading fundamentalist movement in Lebanon. A number of smaller movements, in... Show moreMost recent scholarly publications on and interests in political Islam in Lebanon cover primarily Hizbullah, the leading fundamentalist movement in Lebanon. A number of smaller movements, in particular within the Sunni community, have attracted less attention. Like their Shi'ite counterparts, most of these groups surfaced during the war years, in particular after the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982. Show less
