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Memory at Work
Abstract by Lokman Slim On Session 174  (Palestine, Pedagogy and the Arts)

On Saturday, October 12 at 2:30 pm

2013 Annual Meeting

Abstract
UMAM Documentation and Research (UMAM D&R) believes that dealing with Lebanon’s violent past, crystallized during the 1975 – 1990 civil wars, is fundamental to eliminating the specter of renewed conflict that continues to haunt the country. As state organizations steadfastly refuse to engage in the historical analysis of Lebanon’s civil war, UMAM D&R endeavors to address that void by tackling the past through the promotion of archival projects, cultural initiatives, technical workshops and outreach programs. Specifically, these activities recall the violence and destruction of Lebanon’s civil wars despite the persistent “hostility to history” that seeks to suffocate Lebanese social and political life. The Memory at Work website initiative helps overcome governmental intransigence by enabling Lebanese of all beliefs and backgrounds to engage firsthand with the true Lebanese experience. Memory at Work is a database centered on the history of and recollections about the Lebanese wars, particularly those dubbed as being “civil.” It is intended as a means to explore, monitor, and follow-up on these wars, not only quantitatively, but as qualitatively through personal and collective memories and reminiscences that have either emerged or been ignored assiduously because of this horrific experience. Memory at Work also addresses the war’s presence, the myriad ways it affected—and continues to influence—the public and private lives of the Lebanese and the impact it had on those who either participated actively in the conflict or suffered its wrath in silence. It does so by offering access to thousands of open source, war-related articles and other data which, combined, should be seen as a plea to revisit the war through texts, facts and terminology, and identify—two decades after it ended—those among us who witnessed its course. Memory at Work also asks the enduring question: What do we do now? In other words, what is to be done with the war’s legacy and absurd history, particularly since the Lebanese deny any kinship to either of them? UMAM D&R recently expanded this website, launching a mirror-image English version. It is our hope that this translated version will help researchers, citizens and history buffs alike delve deeper into the facts of Lebanon’s torrid history. While certainly not a substitute for primary source research, this website aims to help guide researchers more directly and quickly to important primary source material.
Discipline
History
Geographic Area
Lebanon
Sub Area
None