Lebanon and Arabism: National Identity and State Formation

Journal of Third World Studies, Fall 2005 by Abraham, A J

El-Solh, Raghid, Lebanon and Arabism: National Identity and State Formation. London: LB. Tauris, 2004. 382 pp.

Lebanon and Arabism tackles the thorny problem of national selfidentity and national group-identity which for Lebanon has been apparently a continuous problem.

According to this study by Raghid El-Solh, a Political Affairs Officer at the United Nations, the problem of Arabism in Lebanon is endemic because of the parochial character of the Lebanese groups, religious sects, and the foreign interference of Lebanon's regional neighbors and the world powers.

The gap between Lebanese nationalism, now called "Lebanonism," and Arab nationalism was bridged in the mid-1930's enabling Lebanon to gain independence in the next decade.

The focus of this study, El-Solh's doctoral thesis at the University of Oxford, is the formative period of 1936 to 1945. This enabled Lebanon to become a leader in the Arab World, and helped it to participate as a full member of the Arab League. An epilogue is added to the study to bring it up to date ( 1990). The book has an excellent bibliography and is well researched. It would be an attractive addition to any collection on Lebanon.

A.J. Abraham John Jay College (CUNY)