The Frailties of Lebanese Democracy: Outcomes and Limits of the Confessional Framework

Detalhes bibliográficos
Autor(a) principal: Calfat,Natalia Nahas
Data de Publicação: 2018
Tipo de documento: Artigo
Idioma: eng
Título da fonte: Contexto Internacional
Texto Completo: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0102-85292018000200269
Resumo: Abstract Lebanon is frequently referred to as a model of a plural and stable democracy in the Middle East: a multi-ethnic and pluri-religious society that guarantees political representation through a power-sharing confessional framework. Numerous authors also see the consociational model as the best democratic alternative given such a high degree of domestic heterogeneity. However, by emphasising Lebanese stability vis-à-vis a troubled regional scenario, these positive perceptions have neglected some elements of how democracy actually works in Lebanon. In this article, I analyse two domestic dimensions that hinder the success of the Lebanese democratic experience (the pre-attribution of seats and distortions of representation) and point to the limits, effects and consequences of consociationalism in this specific confessional reality. The results of this case study indicate that highly institutionalised consociational arrangements can lead to sectarianism, institutional instability, clientelism, and state frailty. I also lay out some lessons and implications that can be derived from such a framework in terms of harmful sectarian narratives at both the local and regional levels.
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spelling The Frailties of Lebanese Democracy: Outcomes and Limits of the Confessional FrameworkConsociationalismLebanonConfessional FrameworksDemocratic LimitsCase StudyAbstract Lebanon is frequently referred to as a model of a plural and stable democracy in the Middle East: a multi-ethnic and pluri-religious society that guarantees political representation through a power-sharing confessional framework. Numerous authors also see the consociational model as the best democratic alternative given such a high degree of domestic heterogeneity. However, by emphasising Lebanese stability vis-à-vis a troubled regional scenario, these positive perceptions have neglected some elements of how democracy actually works in Lebanon. In this article, I analyse two domestic dimensions that hinder the success of the Lebanese democratic experience (the pre-attribution of seats and distortions of representation) and point to the limits, effects and consequences of consociationalism in this specific confessional reality. The results of this case study indicate that highly institutionalised consociational arrangements can lead to sectarianism, institutional instability, clientelism, and state frailty. I also lay out some lessons and implications that can be derived from such a framework in terms of harmful sectarian narratives at both the local and regional levels.Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Relações Internacionais2018-08-01info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersiontext/htmlhttp://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0102-85292018000200269Contexto Internacional v.40 n.2 2018reponame:Contexto Internacionalinstname:Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-RIO)instacron:PUC_RIO10.1590/s0102-8529.2018400200002info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessCalfat,Natalia Nahaseng2018-09-17T00:00:00Zoai:scielo:S0102-85292018000200269Revistahttp://contextointernacional.iri.puc-rio.br/cgi/cgilua.exe/sys/start.htm?tpl=homePUBhttps://old.scielo.br/oai/scielo-oai.phpcintjournal@puc-rio.br||contextointernacional@puc-rio.br1982-02400102-8529opendoar:2018-09-17T00:00Contexto Internacional - Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-RIO)false
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv The Frailties of Lebanese Democracy: Outcomes and Limits of the Confessional Framework
title The Frailties of Lebanese Democracy: Outcomes and Limits of the Confessional Framework
spellingShingle The Frailties of Lebanese Democracy: Outcomes and Limits of the Confessional Framework
Calfat,Natalia Nahas
Consociationalism
Lebanon
Confessional Frameworks
Democratic Limits
Case Study
title_short The Frailties of Lebanese Democracy: Outcomes and Limits of the Confessional Framework
title_full The Frailties of Lebanese Democracy: Outcomes and Limits of the Confessional Framework
title_fullStr The Frailties of Lebanese Democracy: Outcomes and Limits of the Confessional Framework
title_full_unstemmed The Frailties of Lebanese Democracy: Outcomes and Limits of the Confessional Framework
title_sort The Frailties of Lebanese Democracy: Outcomes and Limits of the Confessional Framework
author Calfat,Natalia Nahas
author_facet Calfat,Natalia Nahas
author_role author
dc.contributor.author.fl_str_mv Calfat,Natalia Nahas
dc.subject.por.fl_str_mv Consociationalism
Lebanon
Confessional Frameworks
Democratic Limits
Case Study
topic Consociationalism
Lebanon
Confessional Frameworks
Democratic Limits
Case Study
description Abstract Lebanon is frequently referred to as a model of a plural and stable democracy in the Middle East: a multi-ethnic and pluri-religious society that guarantees political representation through a power-sharing confessional framework. Numerous authors also see the consociational model as the best democratic alternative given such a high degree of domestic heterogeneity. However, by emphasising Lebanese stability vis-à-vis a troubled regional scenario, these positive perceptions have neglected some elements of how democracy actually works in Lebanon. In this article, I analyse two domestic dimensions that hinder the success of the Lebanese democratic experience (the pre-attribution of seats and distortions of representation) and point to the limits, effects and consequences of consociationalism in this specific confessional reality. The results of this case study indicate that highly institutionalised consociational arrangements can lead to sectarianism, institutional instability, clientelism, and state frailty. I also lay out some lessons and implications that can be derived from such a framework in terms of harmful sectarian narratives at both the local and regional levels.
publishDate 2018
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2018-08-01
dc.type.driver.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
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dc.language.iso.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv 10.1590/s0102-8529.2018400200002
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dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Relações Internacionais
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Relações Internacionais
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv Contexto Internacional v.40 n.2 2018
reponame:Contexto Internacional
instname:Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-RIO)
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instname_str Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-RIO)
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reponame_str Contexto Internacional
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