Beirut , the heart of a country already shattered by the conflicts that have cast Lebanon as a protagonist over the years. On a typical Tuesday around 6:00 PM, a blast claimed the lives of approximately 137 people and shocked the entire world. The explosion originated in a warehouse in the capital's port, where 2.750 tons of ammonium nitrate were stored. This chemical compound is used both as a fertilizer and in the production of explosives. According to security sources, the cargo was seized a few years ago and exploded during welding work.
This "unprecedented catastrophe"—as Al Jazeera described it—strikes a country whose middle class is constantly at risk of sliding into poverty. Toxic fumes and a lack of electricity are currently hampering relief efforts. As announced by the authorities, hospitals have been overrun by the large number of injured and those desperately seeking news of their relatives. To better understand the national dynamics, we need to take a step back and begin with an analysis of the country's internal political system and its geopolitical structure.
Geopolitical features of Lebanon
“In a land that can barely cope with a pandemic, exists in the shadow of conflict, faces hunger and awaits extinction. The twin clouds over Beirut, the one that darkly gives birth to the monstrous other, will never be erased” [1].
The tragedy experienced yesterday by the Lebanese people, in addition to representing a far-reaching episode, adds to numerous devastating factors that outline the physiognomy of a country on its knees. Lebanon is faced with a multitude of factors that undermine the foundations of its stability. Indeed, several factors could have repercussions on the social fabric . But we must start from the beginning.
In light of its historical repercussions, Lebanon appears as a country destroyed for years by its own political class. In conflict with its neighbors and consumed by a civil war (1975-1990) il Lebanon It has been experiencing constant instability for decades, which has threatened any broader prospects in terms of public policies and social integration.
In general, the community structure and relations of a country are often influenced by the input and decisions coming from the leadership of international organizations. The West's role is not insignificant.
Beyond the hypocrisy conveyed by institutional messages, for years it has shown disinterest in all those countries experiencing situations of strong political and social instability. Again on the geopolitical level, statements made by Donald Trump, who stated: " We will be there to help ," are emblematic for public opinion's interpretation.
“It looks like a terrible attack”[2].
A trivial but necessary observation would be to highlight how the use of these terms is aimed at increasing bellicose tendencies in this part of the Middle East. These terms would suggest President Trump's desire to leave open the possibility of a hypothetical attack against the Lebanese people , thus overriding the numerous interpretations offered by journalists and media outlets, which focus on a neutral view that the event was simply an accident.
Despite the conflicting perspectives regarding the event's context, confusion also emerges regarding the mass media's informative capacity. It appears to be lacking in the ability to provide a linear, contradictory narrative. According to the Frankfurt School of thought regarding mass media dissemination, the institutional interpretation given to a given event determines and conditions the approach of those exposed to this flow of communication.
In line with a similar perspective, Goffman also argued for the importance of frames (interpretative frameworks) generated by the media. On a social level, it is necessary to consider several variables that contribute to a comprehensive picture. First, it should be noted that, for the first time in its history, the Lebanese government declared default on March 9, 2020 , announcing its inability to repay the € 1,2 billion interest payment on its public debt. This complex issue exposes the weakness of a state increasingly fragmented by its own political class. This news should not be viewed in isolation, as it is the result of a political-economic process that has featured a severe economic-financial crisis, political uncertainty, high youth unemployment, and corruption among the political elite.
All this has contributed to increasing social inequality and producing a strong sense of dissatisfaction. This has led to the emergence of popular movements demanding social justice, equality, and the prevention of foreign intervention in national political and economic affairs.
The tragic event of August 4th is part of a very tragic and painful process. Suffice it to say that a few days ago, on July 27th , there was a military conflict that lasted several hours between Lebanese Hezbollah troops and some Israeli army units on the Blue Line demarcating Lebanon, Syria and the Jewish state. Following the clash, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reported during a press conference that " Hezbollah is playing with fire : any attack will be forcefully repelled " [3].
Ambivalent aspects of the Lebanese social crisis
As mentioned in the previous paragraph, the civil war has triggered social imbalances that have led the Lebanese people into progressive poverty. It's no coincidence that the smoke covering the Beirut sky appeared just a month after the latest suicide, involving a 61-year-old man who shot himself in the center of the capital, highlighting the political and social crisis affecting the country.
Recently, several people have taken their own lives in protest over the economic and employment crisis. However, the relevant authorities have never clarified the data on the suicide cases recorded in 2020 [4] . Most Lebanese citizens live below the poverty line and no social safety net is able to support them. Certainly, in the absence of effective management of the territory, it is always the marginalized who pay the price.
It is worth remembering that , despite its political precariousness, Beirut was known for its role as a crossroads of different cultures. Furthermore, it has been able to specialize in economic activities such as banking and financial services, trade, as well as tourism thanks to the presence of numerous UNESCO heritage sites [5] . It is a country that has also been able to invest its limited resources in education, ranking among those with the highest percentage of literacy (around 86%). This is because even when natural resources are scarce, human resources are available to compensate.
Possible migrations
From a social point of view, this event will lead to a further increase in social inequality and it cannot be ruled out that Lebanon could become a starting point for new migrations . Local organizations have promptly moved to provide relief and several fundraisers have been launched on the web . However, this sociological reflection seems to be linked to the content of the World Social Report 2020 [6] , published by UNDESA (acronym for the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs), which lists the four megatrends causing social inequality in the world: technological innovation, climate change, urbanization and international migration .
The phenomenon of migration , currently at the center of the media spotlight, is closely linked to rising inequality. Politicians are exploiting this phenomenon to ride the wave of consensus, especially recently, by making people believe that "foreigner" is synonymous with "discomfort" and "spreader of disease." According to the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), approximately 71 million people have fled their countries in the past year, many of them children without families.
It is suspended lives from wars, persecutions and natural disasters.
They are individuals who come from a place that is no longer a safe place to live. The idea that there are individuals without places seems utopian: perhaps it's simpler to think of places without individuals. This is how we come to know the "people of the vanquished"—to use the expression of the writer Erri De Luca—which automatically makes us, "born on the right side of the world," the victors. And then we take sides, we truly believe it. We look down on the lives of others. We begin to say “We are not responsible, we do not know your conflicts.” And while the world watches in astonishment at the videos of the explosions and the rescue operations, the events in Beirut teach us that in reality there are no borders, despite men's attempts to mark them, but rather fictitious lines that should dissolve when we open the front door and experience first-hand the difference between those who have a roof over their heads and those who do not.
To the poet's Lebanon Khalil Gibran:
"The storm is capable of dispersing the flowers, but is unable to damage the seeds.".
Lorenzo Villani and Chiara Grasso
[1] Fisk, R. from the newspaper “The Independent”.
[2] Trump, D. (04/08/2020) – Press Conference.
[3] IlSole24Ore, article from July 27, 2020
[4] Internazionale.it, article from July 6, 2020
[5] Any information about Lebanon can be found in the following digital encyclopedia: http://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/libano/
[6] Available for consultation and download from the website: https://www.un.org/development/desa/dspd/world-social-report/2020-2.html
She holds a PhD in Sociology from the University of Catania. She works as a social media manager for several cultural associations involved in the Acireale Carnival and is a refugee service worker at the Astalli Center in Catania.
