TERRITORIAL MARKERSAND SOCIAL FRAGMENTATION

INBEIRUT’S VISUAL

URBAN LANDSCAPE

Religion in Lebanon

Defining Lebanese population

Dividing state power

National Pact (1943) : an unwritten agreement

Political foundation of modern Lebanon on a confessional system :

President of the Republic = Maronite

Prime Minister = Sunnite

President of the National Assembly = Shi’a

Deputy Speaker = Greek Orthodox

Ministry of Defence till 1975 = Druze

1975-1990 : the civil war

Faith fractures

Signs shaping new territories

Lebanon is deeply cleared along ethnic and socio-religious lines of force

It creates a situation

The city, the country are running contrary to the will of its people

Divided among communatarian and regional lives

Markers, messages … elaborating mental borders

CIVIL WAR AND IT’S

TERRITORIAL MARKING

April 1975

In a popular suburb of Beirut

Political frustration

Occupation of downtown Beirut : symbol of Lebanon’s multi-confessional character

Parliament Square

The Downtown : stage of fighting

Demarcation lines : Martyrs Square and Damascus street

Beirut is divided in two sectors

East Beirut : Christian

West Beirut : Muslim

Put a stop to coexistence

Visual markers and messages

Territorial markers

Political and religious

Sign of affirmation community : « this land is mine »

Bill-boards, posters, graffitti, flags… = boundaries of ideological territories

To communicate quickly a message to supporters and residents

RETURN TO PEACE

Political issues and

confessional new territories

After 1990

Former warlords entered into the State

Defending private interests

Milicia performs in a legal way

Hezbollah is an exception : still armed to defend its « secure land »

Media and audio visual markers

Religious authorities

Are using media and television

« Al-Manar » belongs to Hezbollah

« Télé Lumière » to Catholics

They preach good word and demonization of the other religious communities

New kind of war

New places of worship are more impressive in size

September 2010 : inauguration of a towering cross of 73 meters tall by Maronite church

Rehabilitation

Minarets much higher

Multiplying bells

Powerful speakers

The biggest bell in the Middle East

Fertile ground : the youth

Consolidation of Community Lebanese Universities :

University of Balamand = Greek Orthodox

Univsersity of Holy Spirit = Maronite

Islamic University = Shi’a

Arab University = Sunnite

…

Cyber propaganda

« Internet is a wonderful tools that gives to political movement an echo of disproportion relatively to their real size »

(DESTOUCHES G., 1999)

« CNN of the poor »

The « Arab Spring » is the illustration of the political power of social networks like Facebook, Twitter….

Islamists and others religions websites

Or terrorist and militia networks

They practice cyber propaganda that amplifies ideological messages

target

Young unemployed people

Mobile’s screen or electronic bill boards

New media calling for rally, commemoration, informations …

Clothing and behaviour

In the Muslim world

The veil

Rigor is not the same everywhere

Lebanese streets : western fashion, iranian tchador, islamic headscarf, body piercing….

New attitudes

sale of alcoholic beverages prohibited in lebanese sunni cities (Sidon, Tripoli…)

Lately it extends in Christian areas

During the month of Ramadan new type of decorations : crescent moon, palm tree…

Educational Institutions or stores doesn’t close anymore during a religious holiday of another community

Advertising Companies consider 2 posters for the same product

Calendar of commemorative dates or events is still respected

Sport and politics

Sport

To assert its sovereignty, independance a Nation creates its own sports teams

Football = a collective national cohesion and promotes the group

Since 2005, in Lebanon, football games are played without spectators

Football game

The militia’s role

Confessional behaviour

Great influence on the people

Territorial fragmentations are wider between rich and poor people

28% of Lebanese families lives below the poverty line

militia’s activities

Various social projects

Support to youth groups

Allowing an ideological indoctrination

Recruiting from a much more fanatical youth than before

THE CULT OF MARTYRDOM

Statue, monument, memorial

« These markers strike the imagination and allow us to individualize a place to make it unique »

(NESSI J., 1999)

memorials

Are numerous in the Middle East

Object of pilgrimage for Jewish, Muslims and for Christians

In Israël : Wailing Wall, Yad Vashem…

The Wailing Wall

In Lebanon

Cult of martyr was born in the civil war

Militias were using the symbolic dimension of space to legitimize their power

In West Beirut : pictures of martyr Moussa Sadr

Hezbollah

Pictures or painted panels representing Khomeiny…

Sound & Light shows

Decorating gravesites

Flags with Katyusha

Hezbollah Flags

For young Shi’a

Martyr falling in the service : a supreme honour

The goal is not a military victory but rather to have the privilege of being a martyr

Syrian occupation (1990-2005)

During the « Pax Syriana » several statues had been installed in many lebanese regions

They were unbolted or vandalized during the withdrawal of Syrian troops (2005)

14 February 2005

Since the assassination of Rafic Hariri, « new martyrs » have their public places

Surprisingly since Islam forbids all image representations

Plaques, statues, gardens… became places of memory

CONCLUSION

In Lebanon

Tension and idology of fear which

« creates a report of mistrust and potential conflict with each other; « us » and « them » have built virtual walls that draw the boundaries of our new indentities and affiliations. »

(RAMADAN T,. 2005)

Lebanese Constitution carries with it the seed of community division

Great difficulty to establish a national dialogue

Shi’a is by now the largest sect in number

Should we despair ?

A large part of Lebanese people is fighting for values : family, education, civil order…

Religious coexistence for centuries

Cathedrale & Mosque

Former rector of USJ

« In Lebanon Christians and Muslims share more than they think, common patterns of behaviour and thought; the former are more Arabized and the Second more Westernized that they do think »

(ABOU S., 1994)