ABSTRACT
The Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990) began in Beirut on April 13, 1975, as a clash between elements of a Christian Lebanese right-wing militia and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). This chapter examines examples of how a portion of the population not only detested, but actively resisted the war. Activist mobilization went through a continuous development, starting with spontaneous popular reactions to violence during the war's first two years, then evolving into humanitarian and intellectual projects to stem the social and cultural deterioration resulting from armed conflict. The chapter belongs to the general field of civil society, but first some further conceptual distinctions relevant to the Lebanese context are in order. With an area of only 10,450 square kilometers, and an estimated population of three million in 1975, Lebanon was the most densely populated country in the Middle East.
