Reconstructing Beirut: Memory and Space in a Postwar Arab City by Aseel Sawalha

Description: Reconstructing Beirut by Aseel Sawalha Reconstructing Beirut contributes to a new approach to Middle East studies that applies recent theories of memory and space/place, bringing a fresh framework for analyzing contemporary Arab cultures and post-conflict cities. FORMAT Paperback LANGUAGE English CONDITION Brand New Publisher Description Once the cosmopolitan center of the Middle East, Beirut was devastated by the civil war that ran from 1975 to 1991, which dislocated many residents, disrupted normal municipal functions, and destroyed the vibrant downtown district. The aftermath of the war was an unstable situation Sawalha considers "a postwar state of emergency," even as the state strove to restore normalcy. This ethnography centers on various groups responses to Beiruts large, privatized urban-renewal project that unfolded during this turbulent moment.At the core of the study is the theme of remembering space. The official process of rebuilding the city as a node in the global economy collided with local day-to-day concerns, and all arguments invariably inspired narratives of what happened before and during the war. Sawalha explains how Beirutis invoked their past experiences of specific sites to vie for the power to shape those sites in the future. Rather than focus on a single site, the ethnography crosses multiple urban sites and social groups, to survey varied groups with interests in particular spaces. The book contextualizes these spatial conflicts within the discourses of the citys historical accounts and the much-debated concept of heritage, voiced in academic writing, politics, and journalism. In the afterword, Sawalha links these conflicts to the social and political crises of early twenty-first-century Beirut. Notes Contributes to a new approach to Middle East studies that applies recent theories of memory and space/place, bringing a fresh framework for analyzing contemporary Arab cultures and post-conflict cities Author Biography Aseel Sawalha is Associate Professor in the Departments of Sociology and Anthropology and Womens and Gender Studies at Pace University in New York City. Table of Contents A Note on LanguageAcknowledgmentsIntroductionChapter One. Beirut: A City in TransitionChapter Two. Downtown in "the Ancient City of the Future"Chapter Three. `Ayn el-Mreisse: The Global Market and the Apartment UnitChapter Four. "Beirut Is Ours, Not Theirs": Neighborhood Sites and Struggles in `Ayn el-MreisseChapter Five. Cafés, Funerals, and the Future of Coffee SpacesChapter Six. Placing the War-DisplacedAfterword: Reclaiming Downtown AgainNotesBibliographyIndex Promotional Contributes to a new approach to Middle East studies that applies recent theories of memory and space/place, bringing a fresh framework for analyzing contemporary Arab cultures and post-conflict cities Long Description Once the cosmopolitan center of the Middle East, Beirut was devastated by the civil war that ran from 1975 to 1991, which dislocated many residents, disrupted normal municipal functions, and destroyed the vibrant downtown district. The aftermath of the war was an unstable situation Sawalha considers "a postwar state of emergency," even as the state strove to restore normalcy. This ethnography centers on various groups responses to Beiruts large, privatized urban-renewal project that unfolded during this turbulent moment. At the core of the study is the theme of remembering space. The official process of rebuilding the city as a node in the global economy collided with local day-to-day concerns, and all arguments invariably inspired narratives of what happened before and during the war. Sawalha explains how Beirutis invoked their past experiences of specific sites to vie for the power to shape those sites in the future. Rather than focus on a single site, the ethnography crosses multiple urban sites and social groups, to survey varied groups with interests in particular spaces. The book contextualizes these spatial conflicts within the discourses of the citys historical accounts and the much-debated concept of heritage, voiced in academic writing, politics, and journalism. In the afterword, Sawalha links these conflicts to the social and political crises of early twenty-first-century Beirut. Details ISBN0292728816 Author Aseel Sawalha Short Title RECONSTRUCTING BEIRUT Publisher University of Texas Press Language English ISBN-10 0292728816 ISBN-13 9780292728813 Media Book Format Paperback Pages 190 Imprint University of Texas Press Subtitle Memory and Space in a Postwar Arab City Place of Publication Austin, TX Country of Publication United States Birth 1966 Illustrations 15 b&w photos Series Jamal and Rania Daniel Series in Contemporary History, Politics, Culture, and Religion of the Levant Year 2010 Publication Date 2010-05-01 AU Release Date 2010-05-01 NZ Release Date 2010-05-01 US Release Date 2010-05-01 UK Release Date 2010-05-01 DEWEY 307.340956925 Audience Professional & Vocational We've got this At The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it. With fast shipping, low prices, friendly service and well over a million items - you're bound to find what you want, at a price you'll love! TheNile_Item_ID:40248704;

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