A Lot to Lose

Just hit play. Why a fast internet connection and free tablets are not enough to make Lebanese workers competitive.

Mustapha Hamoui · Feb 18, 2013

On Smoking Ban, one Beirut Restaurant Lives up to its Name

— The management of Dictateur bullies opponents of smoking — (Photo by Gino)

Mustapha Hamoui · Feb 15, 2013

Don’t Hate Valentine’s Day

A misunderstood holiday is getting ill-deserved reproach

Mustapha Hamoui · Feb 13, 2013

The Significance of Hariri’s Civil Marriage Position

— There is still hope (Photo: The wedding of Randa & Tarek Kabrit by Marco Schwarz ) —

Mustapha Hamoui · Jan 31, 2013

Decoding the Sunni Position on Civil Marriage

It was difficult to tell what was more cringe-worthy. Was it the Mufti’s bizarrely maximalist and unreasonable position on civil marriage in Lebanon? Or was it the spectacle of embarrassed Sunni politicians pussyfooting and dancing around the issue, trying to both appease the Mufti and distance themselves from him at the same time?

Mustapha Hamoui · Jan 30, 2013

Sectarianism as a Means to Liberal Ends

One of the more interesting ways of thinking about Lebanese politics in the last few years was the idea that Lebanese Sectarianism, although morally bankrupt, paradoxically leads to good things like freedom, pluralism and progess. In March 2011, Michael Young wrote:

Mustapha Hamoui · Jan 15, 2013

Waste No Tears for Amin Maalouf’s Old Home

I have been reading Habib Battah’s admirable reporting on the demolition plans for Amin Maalouf’s old house in Badaro with great interest. I appreciate the work Habib is doing and his obvious passion for this cause, but I just can’t get myself to sympathise with it or carry its flag. There are many reasons why I don’t care and instead find that the demolition of Maalouf’s old home one of the more honest Lebanese things that can happen (more on that later).

Mustapha Hamoui · Jan 4, 2013

Our Incredibly Distorting Bubble

— Myriam Klink… A Storm in an English-speaking teapot —

Mustapha Hamoui · Dec 20, 2012

In Tripoli, Citizens are to Blame Too

A poster has been making the rounds in Tripoli’s social media (click image above for full poster), blaming the citizens of Tripoli for electing worthless representatives. “You voted for them”, the pointed finger admonishes the reader over a dramatic background of splattered blood and portraits of sinister-looking Tripoli MPs “…You’re the one to blame”.

Mustapha Hamoui · Dec 9, 2012

Why the Lebanese iTunes Store may do Well

At first glance, the newly announced Lebanese iTunes store is destined to fail. Think of it for a moment: Who in their right mind in Lebanon will buy a song online when the illegal market for music in Lebanon is so rampant and copyright law-enforcement is completely absent? It is very easy to walk to a corner shop in Lebanon and buy a CD rom with hundreds of the latest Lebanese songs for less than $5, why would you download one song for a buck?

Mustapha Hamoui · Dec 4, 2012