Lebanon
Lebanon’s Trauma and the Myth of Resilience — with Dalal Mawad
Award-winning Lebanese journalist and author Dalal Mawad joins New Lines’ Rasha Elass to talk about Lebanon’s compounded trauma, the great losses experienced by the country’s women, and the myth of resilience.
Deja Vu in Beirut
The Cairo Agreement, signed on this day 54 years ago, serves as a byword for the diplomatic folly that set Lebanon on a path to doom. It is so notorious that when one analyst described a recent proposal as “another Cairo Agreement in the making” their Lebanese audience fully understood the danger.
Amid a Suffocating Struggle, Beirut’s Art Breathes Life Into a City
Even though Lebanon’s art scene is among the sectors most affected by its economic crisis, playwrights, musicians and comedians continue to put on shows, often expressing their feelings about the corrupt ruling class and the country’s ongoing problems.
Beirut’s Scarred Heritage — with Nadine Panayot
“As long as justice hasn't been done, I think these scars should be here and remain here to remind us of this horrific tragedy.”After the 2020 Beirut blast, a massive volunteer effort took place to save the city’s ancient heritage. Three years later, New Lines magazine's Lydia Wilson goes back to see the results of that task firsthand and to talk to museum curator Nadine Panayot about what it means for Lebanon’s uncertain future.
Facing Arab Adolescence With Anime
Shonen protagonists countered the toxic masculinity of the time, exposing us to ideals of manhood unheard-of to a bunch of Middle Eastern boys who watched older gentlemen in fine suits throw tantrums over honor and good name, then push their weight around with fists and guns.
The Hariri Assassination and the Revolution That Never Was
Lebanon’s Cedar Revolution was not a revolution. In the end, the ingredients just weren’t there. But it did change Lebanon forever — and taught those of us who took part a few important lessons about the promise, and the tragedy, of politics.
The Uncomfortable Embrace of a Return Visit to Lebanon
Despite rising inequality and three years of economic collapse, Lebanon still holds a singular allure amid the chaos. Returning is like a warm but slightly uncomfortable hug from a favorite relative you didn’t know you missed — smelly, cozy, warm and slightly suffocating unless you give in to the embrace.