Legacies of the Past Tour - Senior Research Consultant

Project description:

During Lebanon’s civil war (1975 – 1990), an estimated 100,000 people were killed, 1 million forcibly displaced, and thousands of people disappeared. While the 1989 Taif Agreement allowed for some political compromise to end the war, little was done to address the root causes and repercussions of the conflict. Instead a General Amnesty Law and a policy of state-sponsored amnesia on the war were established by the authorities. Since, many Lebanese are unaware of their past or grow up on selective, distorted and divisive narratives of the war.  However, as evidenced by ongoing division and repeated cycles of conflict, reconciliation cannot take place if we don’t establish the truth(s) about past atrocities and initiate an inclusive victim-centered healing process.

In this context, ACT and its partner The Socio-Economic Justice Initiative – MAAN, an independent, Lebanese, non-profit non-governmental think and act tank working across all Lebanese territories, established in 2018 with the aim to bridge inequalities within Lebanon through the promotion of a culture of citizen accountability, the production of qualitative and quantitative evidence-based research, and advocacy for stronger institutions and social protection are coming together to develop a tour of Beirut with a particular theme addressing Lebanon’s violent past for building a more peaceful future.

The “Legacies of the Past Tour of Beirut” pilot project with an itinerary stopping at select landmark sites which witnessed major war and post-war political events across Beirut will be accompanied by inclusive credible narratives developed by historians and an interactive map. The tour, narratives and map will be available to Lebanese and non-Lebanese individuals and groups with the aim of raising the general public’s awareness on the legacies of political violence in Lebanon and the importance of dealing with the past, including but not limited to the issue of the missing and forcibly disappeared persons and the victims of the 2020 port explosion.

Project Objectves:

The general objective of the “Legacies of the Past Tour of Beirut” pilot project is to challenge state-sponsored amnesia and the failure to deal with Lebanon’s troubled past by establishing the truth(s) about past traumatic events in order to learn from the past and build a more inclusive and peaceful future for Lebanon. 

Specific objectives:

1-Establish a reliable, evidence-based and accessible narrative of contemporary Lebanese political history with an emphasis on landmark sites across Beirut that witnessed major events between the Lebanese civil war and the August 2020 Beirut Port Blast in order to contribute to truth-telling efforts and a better understanding of Lebanon’s past.

2-Raise awareness on and make visible the ongoing legacies of political violence in our present and the importance of dealing with the past for building a more sustainable peace for Lebanon through an accessible tour accompanied by an interactive map and narratives of key sites that witnessed major events.

Job Description:

Over a period of 4-6 months, the consultant shall:

• Develop research scope and methodological framework with project partners
• Conduct research on 11 sites across Beirut in accordance with agreed upon methodological framework
• Develop reliable and inclusive narratives of one page per site around selected sites across Beirut in accordance with agreed upon methodological framework
• Undertake reviews to narratives based on feedback from project partners, storytelling expert and scientific committee
• Undertake reviews based on roundtable with representatives of civil society groups.

Knowledge, Competencies, and Skills:

The consultant shall have:

• PhD in History or related field such as political studies, sociology, or anthropology with a focus on the Lebanese Civil War. Alternatively, a MA and 5 years of experience conducting research on the Lebanese civil war.
• Proven experience conducting research or working on ‘Dealing with the Past’ and/or Transitional Justice
• Experience working on the issue of the missing and disappeared and/or the port blast explosion are a plus.
• Fluency in English and Arabic is a must
• Ability to transmit complex information to non-specialist audience
• Adopts an evidence-based and non-partisan approach to research and writing

For further information related to deliverables and payment please refer to attached TOR.