Latest from Madeline Edwards
Sufism Endures in Lebanon’s Marginalized North
While Sufi practices in Lebanon’s cities have dwindled under pressure from Salafists, rural Akkar remains a bastion of mysticism. Across its villages, Sufi congregations host centuries-old “zikr” prayer ceremonies that center on music, dance and joy.
Riding Lebanon’s Purple Buses, From Tyre to Tripoli
In Lebanon, amid ongoing war and economic collapse, a surprising new public bus network is connecting the capital Beirut with distant Tyre, Tripoli and beyond.
Reincarnation and the Legacy of Lebanon’s Civil War
This month, Lebanon marks 50 years since the start of its civil war. In the country’s Druze mountains, belief in reincarnation means that memories of past lives intertwine with the enduring trauma.
Joy and Trepidation Among Syria’s Druze
In Sweida, a Druze-majority province in southern Syria, the fall of the Assad regime was marked by local fighters freeing prisoners and seizing key sites. Amid ongoing celebrations, the region faces an uncertain future under Syria’s new rulers.
Lebanon’s Goats and Their Herders Brave Warmer Weather
Historically, much of Jabal Akroum has relied on animal transhumance, which predates human pastoralism. If you’re transhumant, you follow the natural migration of your animals to lower-lying warm valleys in winter and back up to the cooler mountains for summer. But the steady creep of climate change, combined with dire daily realities, means that the ancient rhythm of transhumance is losing its pace.