| In this dissertation, I argue that relations of space and mobility play a critical role in the formation of Lebanese civic culture. By civic culture, I refer to ideas and practices having to do with the roles and actions of citizens, the state, and those inhabiting a particular geographic polity, such as the city of Beirut and the nation of Lebanon. I develop this argument by examining everyday uses, navigations, and understandings of Beirut's urban environment as well as the broader landscapes of the nation and region. I focus on experiences of public sociality and 'getting around' in order to investigate aspects of collectivity, differentiation, and hierarchy that are mutually constitutive of Lebanese social and political life. The dissertation also highlights the significance of class identification and belonging and, in so doing, critiques the oversimplified view that identity in Lebanon has been historically configured solely on the basis of sectarian affiliation. |
