From the Cross (and Crescent) to the Cedar and Back Again: Transnational Religion and Politics Among Lebanese Christians in Senegal (original) (raw)

The legacy of transnational lives: Beyond the first generation of Lebanese in Senegal

Definitions of transnationalism are modelled after first generation migrant communities in the west. Through presenting ethnographic detail on the Lebanese community in Senegal, this article applies the concept of transnationalism to the case of a historic South-South migrant community. Second and later generation ethnic groups maintain transna-tional ties through notions of self-identity and definitions by others, the importance given to the homeland, and political and religious ideologies. Race, geographic location, and changes in the structure of labour markets are factors that encourage continued ties with the country of origin. Furthermore, transnationalism cannot be limited only to sending and receiving countries. Colonial and former colonial powers can determine the destination of migrants, establish economic hierarchies, and offer a tertiary citizenship to transnational migrants in addition to the dual citizenship of country of origin and destination.

Identity, Acceptance, and Alienation: the case of the Lebanese community in West Africa

Anthropological approaches to the evolving concept of ‘diaspora studies’ attempt to examine how identity, culture, and environment impact and shape the way we see the world and our place in it. This paper looks at the cultural, social, and ethnic identity of the Lebanese diaspora communities in West Africa. Like other trade diasporas, the Lebanese community – particularly in West Africa – have largely been overlooked in anthropological study. Their economic prosperity produces negative stereotypes that isolate them and discourage academic research into their fragmented past and complicated cultural identities. Using a practical application of theories on transnationalism, resistance, and the reproduction of culture, this paper explores the role that external and internal factors –transnationalism, race relations, integration and assimilation – have had on the cultural construction of the Lebanese community in West Africa.

Religion, National Identity, and Confessional Politics in Lebanon

2011

The Middle East has become simultaneously the world's most controversial, crisis-ridden, and yet least-understood region. Taking new perspectives on the area that has undergone the most dramatic changes, the Middle East in Focus series, edited by Barry Rubin, seeks to bring the best, most accurate expertise to bear for understanding the area's countries, issues, and problems. The resulting books are designed to be balanced, accurate, and comprehensive compendiums of both facts and analysis presented clearly for both experts and the general reader.

Revolution, Modernity and (Trans)National Shi'i Islam: Rethinking Religious Conversion in Senegal

Th e establishment of a Shi'i Islamic network in Senegal is one alternative to following the coun-try's dominant Sufi orders. I examine Senegalese conversion narratives and the central role played by the Iranian Revolution, contextualizing life stories (trans)nationally in Senegal's political economy and global networks with Iran and Lebanon. Converts localize foreign religious ideologies into a 'national' Islam through the discourse that Shi'i education can bring peace and economic development to Senegal. Senegalese Shi'a perceive that proselytizing, media technologies, and Muslim networking can lead to social, cultural and perhaps even political change through translating the Iranian Revolution into a non-violent reform movement.

Church of the Scattered: Navigating Cultural Identity in the Protestant Churches of Senegal

2019

Senegal is a country renowned for its peaceful religious pluralism in the midst of turmoil and demographic change in neighboring West African nations. Though the vast majority of the population adheres to Sufi Islam, they seem to live in peace and cooperation with the prominent Catholic minority. Wedged between these well-established groups, Protestantism struggles to distinguish itself. Protestant missions have been planted in Senegal for over a century, but the church remains small with almost no cultural presence, and up to 80% of its members are non-Senegalese. This paper will present some preliminary basic research about this oft-ignored community in Dakar in an attempt to better understand the ways in which an immigrant church navigates cultural identity. In particular, it focuses on the ethic of proselytization in the missional Protestant church and the ways it interacts with and challenges the Senegalese ethic of peaceful coexistence. Literature on the history of Christianity and Protestantism in the region, as well as the current dynamics of global religious growth and the changing landscape of modern missions foreground the discussion. Interviews conducted with Protestants from many different churches, positions, and denominational backgrounds illuminate the place of the Protestant Church in

The Lebanese Evangelical Church's Response to the Syrian Crisis: The Shaping of Identity

International Bulletin of Mission Research , 2021

The Lebanese church has experienced unprecedented challenges as Syrian refugees began flooding the country in 2011. This article attempts to discern the approaches to identity, strategy, and partnership that evolved for Lebanese evangelicals as the church found itself in the epicenter of Muslim emigration from war-torn neighbors. It discusses how the history of the Lebanese church prepared it for the most recent crisis and led to the development of unique outreach strategies and the intentional cultivation of robust partnerships. Finally, it demonstrates how these developments have contributed to the Lebanese evangelical church's explosive growth in the last decade.