The Generator Mafia Shatters the Citizens’ Dream in Zahle For those who take for granted a twenty-four hour supply of electricity, the suffering of the Lebanese may be hard to comprehend. Yet, interruption of power brings about daily suffering in households, not to mention the adverse effect on the environment caused by generators which spread their deadly fumes in densely populated areas. By Noor Baalbaki
Rethinking Intersections - Vol. 1 No. 1 - Summer 2015 Speaking of a feminist knowledge production in the Middle East, South West Asia, and North Africa region is a daunting task. It has become increasingly difficult to centralize our knowledge production(s) in terms of location and definitions. Burdened with problems of access to information and lacking the tools to participate in the epistemological processes, our feminist movements struggle with the structures of domination and hegemony of knowledge in the MENA.
The Non-Exotic Erotic - Vol. 1 No. 2 - Winter 2015 How does the erotic apply in our contexts? We seem to always be construed as standing on either side of dichotomies: self/other, West/East, good/bad Arab, etc. The erotic refuses to be given that choice. It is sexual, of course, but it especially holds the power to imagine, to resist, to write history, and to produce erotic knowledge from a source of brown feminist dissent. The erotic does not belong to a specific feminist “wave,” as it does not subscribe to universalized scales and linear accounts of history. However, it retains the property of waves – untamable and in constant motion.
MORE THAN A TALKSHOP A ‘talkshop’ – this is what German Emperor Wilhelm II. used to call the parliament. Together, as the youth of Lebanon, you can prove him wrong: discover the dynamics of political decision-making and express your opinions and ideas on current political issues. Take part in the More Than A Talkshop project - a two-day simulation game of the Lebanese Parliament.
Grapevine... from root to fruit Heinrich Böll Foundation Launches latest issue of Perspectives on Rumours. Please join us to the launch of this issue in the presence of Acting Director Mr Bauke Baumann on Wednesday, November 12, 2014 at the Crypte, Saint Joseph Chruch, Monot Street, Ashrafieh.
The Elevation of Salafi Thought into an Ideology The strictness of the Salafi school gives us cause for concern about the way in which they deal with their rivals, not perhaps at the present time when they are powerless, but when Salafis hold power and reveal their true face. Jihadi Salafism holds views obviously hostile to others and imposes its will on them through the power of the weapon. However, it tries to adapt to the circumstances it finds itself in by crafting new methods to handle the other and pretending to be considerate. In this study, Sheikh Ibrahim Ramadan Mardini has investigated more throughly salafism, its different schools in addition to its political thought and political agendas. By Ibrahim Ramadan Al Mardini
WEB DOSSIER: WORLD CUP FOR WHOM? WORLD CUP FOR WHAT? The awarding of the FIFA World Cup to Brazil came along with the promise of social and economic benefits for the country. In contrary to that, Brazil finds itself in a discussion of the real consequences of the mega-event for society.
The Lebanese Parliamentary Elections: A Surprise, But No Real Change - Statehood & Participation By Doreen Khoury
Interview with Dr. Ali Khalifa Al Kuwari, author of “The People Want Reform… In Qatar, Too” In the summer of 2012, The People Want Reform… In Qatar, Too was published in Beirut. The book which includes 11 contributions from different Qatari writers and academics was coordinated and edited by Dr. Ali Khalifa Al Kuwari, an academic researcher, writer and thinker. The following is an interview conducted with Dr. Al Kuwari on the background of compiling the book and the demands for reform in Qatar.
The Rise of Belligerent Nihilist Tendencies in Syria In the Syrian revolution we witness an increase of both violence and religiosity, in combination with a general withdrawal of trust from the world that is perceived as well aware of the Syrian suffering but inactive. Syrian analyst Yassin Haj Saleh explores the different varieties of nihilism this produces and points to the fact that the rise of nihilism weakens the same social fabric that could help restrain the phenomenon. By Yassin al-Hajj Saleh
