The Siege of Beirut (1982) and the Ethics of Representation in Literature, Art and Journalism
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Kent
Department Name: Sch of English
Abstract
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People |
ORCID iD |
| Caroline Rooney (Principal Investigator / Fellow) |
Publications
Caroline Rooney And Rita Sakr (Authors)
(2013)
The ethics of representation in literature, art and journalism
| Title | White Flags |
| Description | Based on extensive fieldwork and research in Lebanon, White Flags was written, directed and produced by Caroline Rooney and Rita Sakr. The documentary explores current issues in Lebanon relating to conflictual post-war memory, ideological and sectarian divisions, socio-economic problems, and peacebuilding initiatives by individuals and organisations who seek to actively intervene in their society and rebuild trust amid the challenges and dangers of ongoing crises. It conceptually and artistically explores the importance of white flags in a country where the national flag has oftentimes had its significance stolen and where the variously coloured flags of embattled political parties have heightened tensions and divisions. It features interviews with psychoanalyst Chawki Azouri, journalist Jeanine Jalkh, president of 'Memory for the Future' association Amal Makarem, and artists-activists Raouf Rifai and Aurelien Zouki. It was completed with the participation of cinematographer Johnny Hchaime and the production management team at The Media Trust, London. It was also sub-titled by Rita Sakr. It was funded by Research Councils UK as part of the Partnership for Conflict, Crime and Security Research (formerly Global Uncertainties). |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2014 |
| Impact | The documentary will be shown at various venues in the UK, Ireland, Lebanon, Egypt, and possibly other countries. It will have both academic and non-academic beneficiaries in Europe, the Middle East, and North America. They include Middle Eastern studies specialists and students (especially with respect to perspectives on Lebanon), experts in urbanism and conflict, sociologists, practitioners in the field of war and memory studies, artists, activists, NGOs involved in peace-building initiatives, psychoanalysts (especially with respect to trauma and memory), and governmental and non-governmental policymakers. |
| URL | http://beinghumanfestival.org/event/white-flags/ |
| Description | This collaboration enabled Dr Rooney and Dr Sakr to mount a conference in order to examine the multiplicity of ways in which the literary, journalistic and artistic renditions of the 1982 siege of Beirut entail considerations of an ethics of representation on events of extreme emotional investment. Drawing on aesthetic, postcolonial and psychoanalytic methodologies, the research explores questions of how literature and journalism negotiate the dangers of forgetfulness, the radicalisation of memory, and the breakdown of trust as occasioned by traumatic events. Concomitantly, the research explores how literature and responsible journalism may contribute to acknowledgment, mourning and connectivity across communities. Dr Rooney and Dr Sakr will further collaborate on a collection of essays arising out of the research for publication in both English and Arabic. |
| Exploitation Route | They are useful to considerations of the responsible reportage of traumatic events and to understanding approaches to trust-building nationally and internationally. |
| Sectors | Government, Democracy and Justice,Security and Diplomacy |
| Description | This research constituted the initial basis for a film entitled "White Flags" that I produced and co-directed. The film disseminates how Lebanese citizens engage in post-conflict trust-building and has been screened to audiences in Cyprus, Croatia and Brazil. It has been taken up by artists and therapists working on remedying divided societies. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2014 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Healthcare,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Impact Types | Cultural,Societal |
| Description | The Siege of Beirut and the Ethics of Representation |
| Organisation | School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London) |
| Department | Centre for Cultural, Literary and Postcolonial Studies |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | International conference on the representation of the 1982 Siege of Beirut in literature, art and journalism. |
| Collaborator Contribution | N/A |
| Impact | Book: The Ethics of Representation in Literature, Art, and Journalism: Transnational Responses to the Siege of Beirut, co-edited by Caroline Rooney and Rita Sakr (London and New York: Routledge, 2013). An Arabic translation of this volume, by Rita Sakr, will be published by Dar al-Adab in 2014. The output is multidisciplinary: literature, art, journalism, Middle Eastern studies, conflict studies, postcolonial studies, international relations, psychoanalysis. |
| Start Year | 2010 |
| Description | The siege of Beirut and the ethics of representation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Type Of Presentation | workshop facilitator |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This event, mounted in collaboration with SOAS, brought together journalists, writers and academics to debate an ethics of representation with respect to traumatic events. It lead to a publication by Routledge and further engagement with journalists and other professionals in Beirut |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |