This research aims at giving a comprehensive overview and understanding of the Lebanese party Hezbollah. Previous research on Hezbollah has typically focused on one or two aspects of the party’s identity, usually the military question, or has concentrated solely on the organisation’s religious discourse. This thesis presents an alternative perspective, using a historical materialist analysis to situate an understanding of Hezbollah in socio-economic and political developments in Lebanon and the wider region.
To this end, the thesis begins by explaining the establishment of Hezbollah, proceeding then to the party’s development vis-à-vis the political situation in Lebanon and in the region. Particular focus is placed on Hezbollah’s historic ties with its main sponsor, the Islamic Republic of Iran – ties that have remained strong from the founding of the party until today.
Situated in this narrative, the thesis analyses how neoliberal policies in Lebanon following the Lebanese Civil War – and the associated socio-economic evolution of the Shi’a population – influenced Hezbollah’s popular constituency and outlook. The ability of Hezbollah to build a hegemonic position within Lebanese Shi’a areas through its media and cultural wings, and use of arms, is examined. Later chapters critically analyse the party’s policies towards workers’ struggles, women’s issues, and its orientation towards the sectarian Lebanese political system.
Through this analysis, the thesis provides a holistic approach to Hezbollah – an analysis with important implications for understanding Islamic political movements more generally.