Literature Review Chapter: Lebanon Today and the Persistent Refugee Crisis, Towards a New Conflict?
Introduction
Forced migration, such as the post-2011 Syrian displacement, is often characterized by greater
tensions in global politics and varying responses from host countries. The most pressing concern
is how the political landscape in host countries shifts due to forced migration – more particularly,
how refugees shape the host country’s foreign policy decision-making (Tsourapas; 2019; p.2). For
instance, the arrival of more than 1.1 million Syrian refugees in Lebanon has complicated the
domestic landscape in a country grappling with political instability, severe economic problems, a
war-torn past, and social and ecological tensions. Beaujouan and Rasheed contend that even
though Lebanon has always remained resilient to changing waves of refugees, the Syrian refugee
crisis has proved challenging (Beaujouan and Rasheed; 2019; p.36). Given that the 1926
constitution considered Lebanon’s heterogeneity by giving parliamentary representation to all
religious groups (Andersen; 2016; p.11), denominational and demographic shifts increase the risk
of new conflicts and power imbalances. These shifts underscore the need for integrating other
conflict management approaches in the country’s diverse society
