Description
Conspicuously missing from narratives of the Lebanese Civil War are the stories of women who took part in daily social activism and political advocacy during the tumultuous conflict. What the War Left Behind gives voice to their stories, with eight women sharing their experiences of healing through hardship.
What the War Left Behind brings together oral histories from a range of political affiliations, socioeconomic classes, and religious identities to present an alternative image of women during war, one highlighting the actions of those who sought to make life better for themselves and their neighbors during conflict. By centering women’s voices in the war, Abisaab and Hartman present a new perspective on an oft-discussed historical era, demonstrating the power of resistance during tumultuous times. These translated interviews showcase the active roles women take during violence and how women’s political lives in Lebanon didn’t end the moment war began.
About the Author
Malek Abisaab is associate professor of history at McGill University. He is the author of Militant Women of a Fragile Nation. He coedited Women’s War Stories: The Lebanese Civil War, Women’s Labor, and the Creative Arts with Michelle Hartman.
Michelle Hartman is professor of Arabic literature at the Institute of Islamic Studies at McGill University. She is the author of Breaking Broken English: Black-Arab Solidarities and the Politics of Language and Native Tongue, Stranger Talk: : The Arabic and French Literary Landscapes of Lebanon, both published by Syracuse University Press.
