Lessons In Post-war Reconstruction (case Studies From Lebanon In The Aftermath Of The 2006 War)

After the ceasefire, a group of architects and planners from the American University of Beirut formed the Reconstruction Unit to help in the recovery process and in rebuilding the lives of those affected by the 2006 war in Lebanon .

Here, a series of case studies documenting the work of the Unit discusses the lessons to be learned from&nbs

After the ceasefire, a group of architects and planners from the American University of Beirut formed the Reconstruction Unit to help in the recovery process and in rebuilding the lives of those affected by the 2006 war in Lebanon .

Here, a series of case studies documenting the work of the Unit discusses the lessons to be learned from the experiences of Lebanon after the July War, and suggests how those lessons might be applied elsewhere.

The cases are diverse in terms of scale, type of intervention, methods, and approaches to the situation on the ground. Critical issues such as community participation, heritage protection, damage assessment and compensation policies, the role of the state, and capacity building are explored and the success and failures assessed.

1. Introduction: The Politics of Post-War Reconstruction in Lebanon 2. Influencing the Politics of Reconstruction in Haret Hreik 3. Wa’d: The Reconstruction Project of the Southern Suburb of Beirut 4. The Politics of Identity Reconstruction in Post-War Reconstruction 5. Reconstruction of Bint Jbeil and Social Representations of the Urban Space 6. Marginal Landscapes, Marginalized Rural Communities: Sustainable Post-War Recovery in Southern Lebanon 7. Beyond Compensations: the Post-War Reconstruction Battles of ‘Aita al-Cha’b 8. In the Turmoil of Chaos: Beit Bil-Jnoub: A Grass Roots Approach towards a Rational Reconstruction Process. Afterword

"...superbly illustrated case studies...The Reconstruction Unit activities described provide not just valuable lessons, but are an inspiration for all those involved in post conflict reconstruction." - Lonaard Magazine

Howayda Al-Harithy is a Professor of Architecture at the American University of Beirut where she has been since 1994. Al-Harithy currently serves as the Chair of the Department of Architecture and Design.