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Faith-Based Organizations as Effective Development Partners? Hezbollah and Post-War Reconstruction in Lebanon

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Book cover Development, Civil Society and Faith-Based Organizations

Part of the book series: International Political Economy Series ((IPES))

Abstract

Defining Hezbollah as a faith-based organization (FBO) may seem unusual as it is normally labelled by many Westerners as a terrorist organization and is thus rarely examined as an ‘ordinary’ or legitimate political player. Yet, this is the position I adopt here. This chapter considers Hezbollah as a Lebanese political party which has been in charge of the elaboration and implementation of development policies for middle and lower-income Shi’i groups for over 25 years. I will also analyse the role of Hezbollah’s affiliated institutions as FBOs and will argue that their successes in service provision and management makes them, in certain conditions, effective and accountable partners for development stakeholders. Before proceeding, I will briefly relate Hezbollah to the Lebanese political context.

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Authors
  1. Mona Harb
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of the Environment and the Society, Swansea University, UK

    Gerard Clarke

  2. School of Oriental and African Studies, London, UK

    Michael Jennings

Copyright information

© 2008 Mona Harb

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Cite this chapter

Harb, M. (2008). Faith-Based Organizations as Effective Development Partners? Hezbollah and Post-War Reconstruction in Lebanon. In: Clarke, G., Jennings, M. (eds) Development, Civil Society and Faith-Based Organizations. International Political Economy Series. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230371262_10

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