Regimes of fear in Lebanon: perspectives from the borderlands

Abstract

What are the current dominant threats and fears in Lebanon? How do the borderland communities perceive
these threats, and how are they impacting their identity construction? This paper explores the interplay among
identity, borders, and fear by examining three regimes of fear that are dominant narratives provided by state
institutions and Hezbollah: the threat posed by Israel, Salafi-jihadists, and Syrian refugees. These regimes
resonate differently in the Northern, Eastern, and Southern borderlands. Interviews with local residents reveal
a shared but unnamed fear of marginalization while also highlighting an alternative identity construction in
each of the borderland regions.

Keywords: Borderlands, Fear, Identity, Lebanon, Hezbollah, Israel, Salafi-jihadists, Syrian refugees