New and Old Enemies: Hezbollah's Discourse on its Intervention in Syria
(2019) CMEM01 20191Centre for Middle Eastern Studies
- Abstract
- This thesis deals with the question of how Hezbollah attempted to explain its involvement in the war in Syria to its supporters. Using qualitative research methods, the thesis draws on 24 speeches made by Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah between 2013 and 2018. Theoretically based in the notion that Hezbollah functions as a Social Movement Organization, and through the application of framing theory, resource mobilization theory and Gokhan Bacik’s concept of hybrid-sovereignty, the analysis shows that Hezbollah relies heavily on the frame of a “Takfiri” existential threat to Lebanon and its surroundings, as a way to achieve two aims. Firstly, by presenting itself as a past and present defender of Lebanon who plans to cooperate... (More)
- This thesis deals with the question of how Hezbollah attempted to explain its involvement in the war in Syria to its supporters. Using qualitative research methods, the thesis draws on 24 speeches made by Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah between 2013 and 2018. Theoretically based in the notion that Hezbollah functions as a Social Movement Organization, and through the application of framing theory, resource mobilization theory and Gokhan Bacik’s concept of hybrid-sovereignty, the analysis shows that Hezbollah relies heavily on the frame of a “Takfiri” existential threat to Lebanon and its surroundings, as a way to achieve two aims. Firstly, by presenting itself as a past and present defender of Lebanon who plans to cooperate with the Lebanese state to keep Lebanon safe, it aims to solidify its privileged role in Lebanon by associating its interests and activities with those of the state. Secondly, through framing its armed activities as done in the interest of Lebanon above everything else, and in cooperation with the state and society exemplified by the rhetoric of the “golden formula: the army, the people and the Resistance”, Hezbollah attempts to mobilize legitimacy. Given that its activities in Syria go beyond the self-appointed mandate of the protection of Lebanon from Israeli attacks, Hezbollah has in turn constructed the “Takfiri” existential threat as supported by Israel, the United States and Saudi Arabia and framed its involvement in the war in Syria as a struggle against hegemony in order to invest past legitimacy into present issues. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/8986131
- author
- Voksi, Demian LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- CMEM01 20191
- year
- 2019
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Hezbollah, Syria, Lebanon, Takfiri, framing, hybrid-sovereignty
- language
- English
- id
- 8986131
- date added to LUP
- 2019-08-28 16:27:23
- date last changed
- 2019-08-28 16:27:23
@misc{8986131,
abstract = {{This thesis deals with the question of how Hezbollah attempted to explain its involvement in the war in Syria to its supporters. Using qualitative research methods, the thesis draws on 24 speeches made by Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah between 2013 and 2018. Theoretically based in the notion that Hezbollah functions as a Social Movement Organization, and through the application of framing theory, resource mobilization theory and Gokhan Bacik’s concept of hybrid-sovereignty, the analysis shows that Hezbollah relies heavily on the frame of a “Takfiri” existential threat to Lebanon and its surroundings, as a way to achieve two aims. Firstly, by presenting itself as a past and present defender of Lebanon who plans to cooperate with the Lebanese state to keep Lebanon safe, it aims to solidify its privileged role in Lebanon by associating its interests and activities with those of the state. Secondly, through framing its armed activities as done in the interest of Lebanon above everything else, and in cooperation with the state and society exemplified by the rhetoric of the “golden formula: the army, the people and the Resistance”, Hezbollah attempts to mobilize legitimacy. Given that its activities in Syria go beyond the self-appointed mandate of the protection of Lebanon from Israeli attacks, Hezbollah has in turn constructed the “Takfiri” existential threat as supported by Israel, the United States and Saudi Arabia and framed its involvement in the war in Syria as a struggle against hegemony in order to invest past legitimacy into present issues.}},
author = {{Voksi, Demian}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{New and Old Enemies: Hezbollah's Discourse on its Intervention in Syria}},
year = {{2019}},
}