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Coexistence in Wartime Lebanon

Decline of a State and Rise of a Nation

Theodor Hanf author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Published:23rd Dec '14

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

Coexistence in Wartime Lebanon cover

Combines an encyclopaedic history of the war in Lebanon with a sociological analysis. Tracing the war to its origins, this title shows that it has been primarily a surrogate war over Palestine which escalated into a conflict between the diverse Lebanese communities each afraid of being the player left standing in a macabre game of musical chairs.

For fifteen years, Lebanon's disparate confessional groups waged a bloody and protracted civil war. Still today, power-sharing between Sunni, Shi'i, Christian and Druze groups is a precarious balance, greatly affected by and in turn affecting events across the Middle East. But even during times of conflict, Lebanon's communities have managed a modicum of coexistence: agreeing on the importance of maintaining the Lebanese state and sharing the fear of being the player left standing in a macabre game of musical chairs. Tracing the origins of the civil war, Theodor Hanf shows that it was primarily a surrogate war over Palestine which escalated into a conflict between the diverse Lebanese communities. Hanf's central theme is the problem of conflict and conflict regulation between these groups, a theme which continues to have resonance over two decades since the end of the civil war. This highly influential book - now available in a paperback edition - delves into vital issues, such as how conflicts were peacefully regulated before the war, and how the country came to be a battlefield for proxy wars and analyses the prospects for permanent coexistence.

'This massive work is an important scholarly contribution to our knowledge of Lebanon and its war. The book is a product of years of labour, and the author's tremendous knowledge is effectively woven into the narrative.' International Journal of Middle East Studies One of the best books to be written about theLebanese conflict.' Karl Sharro 'Theodor Hanf brings a deep understanding of Lebanon - If you want to read only one book on Lebanon, this is it.' Nadim Shehadi, Director, Fares Centre, The Fletcher School, Tufts University

ISBN: 9781848857155

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 682g

736 pages

Annotated edition