Abstract:
For more than three years, Lebanon has been beset by a succession of political assassinations and disquieting public protests. Little is known about the views of the youth, roughly half the country's population, who have witnessed the enthusiasm and sense of national consciousness sparked by the Cedar Revolution of 2005. This article focuses on the narrative texts of returnee students at the American University of Beirut, exploring their hopes and disappointments. Such trenchant voices should be incorporated into the shaping of the public discourse and reconciliation currently underway.