The Struggle Over Horsh Beirut - An analysis of discourses
Author
El Halawani, Diana
Term
4. semester
Publication year
2017
Submitted on
2017-06-02
Pages
66
Abstract
Dette studie undersøger Horsh Beirut, den største tilbageværende offentlige grønne plads i Beirut, Libanon. Opførelsen af et felthospital på en del af parken har gjort stedet omstridt og sat hensynet til en offentlig park over for en social service, som påstås at støtte nærliggende fattige kvarterer. Med kritisk diskursanalyse—en tilgang der undersøger, hvordan sprog, fortællinger og problemrammer former magt og beslutninger—analyserer forskningen, hvordan forskellige aktører taler om projektets placering, lovlighed og nødvendighed. Den identificerer gennemgående metaforer, fortællinger og symbolske nøglesager, der definerer, hvad problemet er, og hvilke løsninger der virker acceptable. Studiet kortlægger også diskurskoalitioner—løse alliancer baseret på fælles fortællinger—ved at undersøge magtforhold og interesser. Derudover ser det på, hvordan kommunens syn på Horsh Beirut, udtrykt gennem tidligere politikker, har bidraget til at gøre parken til et konfliktfyldt sted. Sagen viser, hvordan magtfulde aktører gennem diskurs har opnået dominans ikke blot over det fysiske offentlige rum, hvor projektet etableres, men også over den offentlige opinion. Forskningen argumenterer for, at kampen om Horsh Beirut ikke kun er en konflikt med private interesser, men også en kamp for at genvinde borgernes demokratiske ret til at deltage i udviklingen af dette rum. Studiet afslutter med at skitsere, hvilke typer indsatser der er nødvendige.
This study examines Horsh Beirut, the largest remaining public green space in Beirut, Lebanon. The construction of a field hospital on part of the park has made it a contested space, pitting protection of a public park against a social service that is claimed to support nearby poor neighborhoods. Using critical discourse analysis—an approach that studies how language, stories, and problem framings shape power and decisions—the research analyzes how different actors talk about the project’s location, legality, and necessity. It identifies common metaphors, storylines, and emblematic issues that define what the problem is and what solutions seem acceptable. The study also maps discourse coalitions—loose alliances built around shared narratives—by examining power relations and interests. In addition, it looks at how the municipality’s view of Horsh Beirut, expressed through earlier policies, has contributed to making the park a site of conflict. The case shows how powerful actors have used discourse to secure dominance not only over the physical public space where the project is being established, but also over public opinion. The research argues that the struggle over Horsh Beirut is not only a dispute with private interests; it is also a fight to restore citizens’ democratic right to participate in shaping this space. The study concludes by outlining the kinds of interventions needed.
[This abstract was generated with the help of AI]
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