From the subaltern to the powerful: The political transformation of Lebanese Shi'ism

This study delves into the historical evolution of the Shiite community in Lebanon, examining it through a post-colonialist lens. It suggests that French colonialism, driven by Hegelian principles, has led to a persistent state of colonialism in Lebanon despite changes in the perpetrators. The political transformation of the Shiites serves as an example of this phenomenon. The study argues that actual change can only occur through a radical transformation of the ideological tools of hegemony, achieved through a collective public movement. Otherwise, any hegemony established within the country will replicate the colonial administration, perpetuating a cyclical history of domination by similar structures. The study identifies the current power of Lebanese Shiites as a fourth type of hegemony, characterized as a blend of corrupt and minimal hegemony, which it terms 'minimal corrupt hegemony.'