Housing Reconstruction as Socio-economic Recovery and State Building: Evidence from Southern Lebanon

TY - JOUR

T1 - Housing Reconstruction as Socio-economic Recovery and State Building

T2 - Evidence from Southern Lebanon

AU - Barakat, Sultan

AU - Zyck, Steven A.

PY - 2011/1

Y1 - 2011/1

N2 - In the aftermath of the 2006 'July War' housing reconstruction in southern Lebanon proceeded along an owner-driven model funded primarily by Middle Eastern donors. This paper addresses the previously unexamined nature of this process, including the actors involved, amounts provided and the results achieved, before examining the ways in which implementation affected economic development, poverty alleviation, gender equity, disaster preparedness, cultural heritage and state building. As consistently identified within the literature, housing reconstruction following conflict and other crises has implications beyond the provision of permanent shelter, such as for health and psychosocial well-being. Emerging (or re-emerging) owner-driven approaches as applied in southern Lebanon, while possessing theoretical benefits, were found to have varied effects upon populations at differing socio-economic statuses. Mixed or hybrid approaches combining owner-driven and contractor-driven models may help to capitalise upon the strengths of each, such as local ownership and structural integrity, while ensuring a greater degree of flexibility than either is able to provide independently.

AB - In the aftermath of the 2006 'July War' housing reconstruction in southern Lebanon proceeded along an owner-driven model funded primarily by Middle Eastern donors. This paper addresses the previously unexamined nature of this process, including the actors involved, amounts provided and the results achieved, before examining the ways in which implementation affected economic development, poverty alleviation, gender equity, disaster preparedness, cultural heritage and state building. As consistently identified within the literature, housing reconstruction following conflict and other crises has implications beyond the provision of permanent shelter, such as for health and psychosocial well-being. Emerging (or re-emerging) owner-driven approaches as applied in southern Lebanon, while possessing theoretical benefits, were found to have varied effects upon populations at differing socio-economic statuses. Mixed or hybrid approaches combining owner-driven and contractor-driven models may help to capitalise upon the strengths of each, such as local ownership and structural integrity, while ensuring a greater degree of flexibility than either is able to provide independently.

KW - Housing

KW - infrastructure rehabilitation

KW - conflict

KW - economic development

KW - state building

KW - Lebanon

KW - HEALTH

KW - INEQUALITIES

KW - CONFLICT

KW - WAR

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=78650121932&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1080/02673037.2010.512750

DO - 10.1080/02673037.2010.512750

M3 - Article

VL - 26

SP - 133

EP - 154

JO - Housing Studies

JF - Housing Studies

SN - 0267-3037

IS - 1

ER -