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Lebanon and the Middle East: factors of strategic choice (on the results of field studies of social representations of Arab youth)
 
PIIS032150750014280-0-1
DOI10.31857/S032150750014280-0
Publication type Article
Status Published
Authors
Vladimir Yurtaev 
Affiliation: Associated Professor, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia
Address: Russian Federation,
Elena Savicheva
Affiliation: Associated Professor, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia
Address: Russian Federation,
Elena Kharitonova
Occupation: Senior Researcher
Affiliation: Institute for African Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences
Address: Russian Federation, Moscow
Journal nameAsia and Africa Today
EditionIssue 3
Pages14-23
Abstract

The article analyzes the current factors and trends in the political, economic, social and legal development of the Arab East countries. The research focuses on identifying socially conditioned priorities of the arab youth that determine the vision of their vision of the strategic orientation of the regional countries (vectors: "East"; consolidated "West"; "Russia"). Based on an analysis of the situation in Lebanon, in which, after the explosion in the port of Beirut (2020) youth protests erupted again, the authors present a snapshot of the social preferences of the population related to the development of a national idea and ensuring national security.

 

The empirical basis of the study was, first of all, the data of field studies carried out according to the author's methodology, adapted for the Middle East. In the modern covid pandemic situation, it is the survey studies of the social representations of the inhabitants that become indispensable sources of real information from the places of events. On the basis of the revealed patterns, the main expected factors of development of the Arab East were identified: improving the legal space; overcoming inter-confessional and interethnic conflicts, moving away from the mono-confessional trend in the development, which has dominated over the past decade. In the sphere of foreign policy, the social perceptions and attitudes of the respondents unambiguously demonstrate the demand for temporary isolation, and an orientation toward creation of a strong bloc of Middle Eastern states. Among possible strategic partners, Russia has the greatest, but so far unstable, insufficiently strong chances.

 

Upon the whole,the study shows that the youth of the Arab East does not see a dead end in the current, albeit very difficult, situation. On the contrary, such values as orientation towards strengthening sovereignty, priority of its own path of development, expansion of public dialogue, an emphasis on internal development, the elaboration of the national idea and the patriotic education of young people are acquiring ever more pronounced significance.

KeywordsАрабский Восток, Россия, Запад, Ливан, молодежь, национальная идея, стратегическая ориентация, социальные установки, полевые исследования
AcknowledgmentThe research was carried out with the financial support of the RFBR in the framework of scientific project No. 20-014-41001 “Ethnoconfessionality in politics in the Middle East and Russia's interests”.
Received10.12.2020
Publication date28.03.2021
Number of characters32554
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