Which development, which citizenship and which state for Lebanon?
Beirut, November 25-26, 2008

Recent events have once more demonstrated to what extend Lebanese citizens privilege membership in and solidarity with primordial groups (sect and family) over partaking in a shared national identity and participation based on citizenship. This workshop will explore the underlying structural causes for the failure of Lebanon to achieve development, establish a viable state and create a clear concept of citizenship.

The workshop will gather a group of Lebanese sociologists and political scientists, who will present research papers analyzing the interrelated problems of state building, citizenship and development and the manifest failures that have occurred on these accounts in Lebanon. The workshop will then move on to propose a new citizen-based approach aimed at mobilizing the potentials and resources inherent in Lebanese civil society for building a new democratic, non-confessional Lebanon.

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