The Elephant’s Tooth Perceptions, attitudes and interactions between Lebanese Christians and Syrian refugees in Sin el-Fil, Lebanon

Abstract

This study explores refugee-host relations in the neighbourhood of Sin el-Fil, located to the east of Beirut, Lebanon. It focuses especially on the perceptions, attitudes and interactions of the Lebanese Christian community toward Syrian refugees. Protracted displacement, combined with the compounded crisis in Lebanon, has strained refugee-host relations and has led to increasing tension. Using the notion of social cohesion, the study aims to uncover negative and positive factors that shape the hosts’ perspectives, as well as the dynamics between the two communities. The research is based on a 5-months ethnographic fieldwork. Participant observation and informal conversations were conducted between August and December 2022, both around Sin el-Fil and in the “Olive Branch” Community Centre, managed by the Lebanese NGO Salam LADC. The study reveals the complexity of refugee-host relations in Lebanon. It points to a number of factors that reinforce the refugee-host divide, but also highlights factors that can create positive synergies. Ultimately, it calls for a more nuanced, context-based engagement with populations affected by displacement.