Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book asks how we can think about Hizballah as a different form of authority and legitimacy in world politics. It inquires which International Relations (IR) theory has constituted the limited conceptualizations of legitimacy, authority and violence. The book asks the following question: what are the conditions of possibility that give rise to an actor such as Hizballah in Lebanon?. It considers the establishment of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) as the outcome of a historical trajectory of pressures on Hizballah from both within and outside of the state. The book asks how Hizballah has come to acquire legitimacy and authority within the Shi'a community. It discusses Hezbollah's ideal resistance society as an articulation of political community grounded in the ideals of resistance to oppression and injustice. The book considers Hizballah's use of violence during the period 1985-2010.