After fifteen years of civil war and a multi-billion-dollar postwar redevelopment project, Beirut’s historical hub seems alien to many of its inhabitants, visitors and academics. Most physical traces of the war have been erased. Contemporary artists and activists critical of social and aesthetic outcomes of the changes have been commenting on political and financial forces, both local and international. Reimagining Beirut’s urban landscapes, these artists and activists have intervened to draw attention to their city’s transformations with a distinctive sensibility and remarkable expressions. They have reclaimed and accommodated specific sites that address their concerns about collective memory, urban space, and historical accountability.

Shea McManus is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology and International Studies at North Carolina State University. Her current book project focuses on politics and aesthetics in the context of shifting articulations of local governance, artistic practices, and social activism in Lebanon. She received her Ph.D. in cultural anthropology from the Graduate Center, CUNY in 2012. 

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