Statelessness and Tribal Identity on Lebanon's Eastern Borders

Lebanon's eastern borders are a particularly understudied region of the country. This area is home to a number of refugee communities (Palestinian and Armenian) as well as recently settled and displaced Bedouin from the June 1967 war. This tribal community is both invisible in some regards and prominent in others. Barred from citizenship for many years, the Bedouin community is increasingly playing an active role in Lebanon's political scene while maintaining its cross-border connections transcending the nation-state. This paper examines the multi-layered Bedouin identities in the context of Lebanon's varied citizenship categories. It assesses the significance of cross-border attachments as well as recent developments in local, national and regional politics.