Content and sources of sectarian stereotypes in a sample of Lebanese undergraduate students at the American University of Beirut -

Abstract

The study aimed at investigating the content of stereotypes attributed to the six largest sects in Lebanon by a sample of 203 undergraduate students at the American University of Beirut, as well as the sources from which such stereotypes were learnt, and their relation to participants’ sectarianism levels. The study also examined the effect of participant gender and sect on sectarianism and perceptions of other sects’ openness. Coding and frequency analyses revealed the positive and negative stereotypes associated with Muslim Sunnis, Muslim Shias, Druze, Christian Armenians, Christian Maronites and Christian Orthodox in Lebanese society. On the other hand, friends and peers, personal experience with members of other sects, media, parents-family and the Internet were the most influential sources of stereotype dissemination. Moreover, sects’ perceived openness (or lack thereof) emerged as the only common stereotypical dimension along which participants rated all six sects. No gender or confessional differences were detected on sectarianism scores, there were however confessional differences on openness ratings attributed to each sect. The implications and limitations of these findings are discussed, and some recommendations for future research are suggested.