Unleashing (Queer) Economic Liberation in Lebanon
In 2018, the annual International Women’s March in Lebanon brought together a diverse group of individuals who passionately advocated for gender equality. March 2018, Beirut, Lebanon. Photo Courtesy of Matthieu Karam Lebanon, a country marked by its complex social fabric and rich cultural diversity, has seen the interplay of neoliberalism, marketization, and queer identities and […]
Mental Health & Economic Performance in a Crisis-marred Lebanon
I turn on my laptop to write, blank head, I turn it off. Turn it on again, I forget what I want to write about, I turn it off. Third time’s a charm, right? Not in Lebanon. Third time, there’s no electricity, no Wi-Fi, no patience anymore. Deadline is approaching, anxiety kicks in. While […]
Lebanon Today: Is It Really Worse Than The Civil War?
“Jedo (grandpa), was it like this during the Civil War?” “It was never like this.” Lebanon, a tiny spot on the world’s map, has rarely experienced a prolonged period of peace. After the roaring 60s, this country has encountered several disturbances. To promote stability after the Civil War, the Lebanese government decided to peg its […]
Lebanon’s Crises: The Diaspora’s Eternal Wound
Lebanon is in the throes of a severe economic crisis, classified to be one of the worst three crises worldwide since the 1850s. The Lebanese Pound (LBP) crashed, more than 55 percent of the country’s population is now trapped in poverty and struggling for bare necessities. In addition to this, unemployment rose to around 40%, prices skyrocketed, and Lebanon became […]
The Economic and Financial Collapse of the Once-Called “Paris of the Middle East”
Lebanon is facing a multi-faceted crisis and many geopolitical challenges. The fiscal deficit, balance of payment deficit, unsustainable public debt, currency collapse, and historic financial sector crisis are but a few of the main factors plunging the country into an economic depression. This is, disastrously, driving poverty to reach more than 50 percent of the […]
The Cash Crunch: An Expats’ Liquidity Handbook
Remittances into Lebanon Bank-Only Transfers Local Lebanese “fresh fund” accounts give holders access to money in three major foreign currencies. Those are US Dollars, Euros and British Pounds, depending on currency availability. Foreign Exchange (FX) account holders can withdraw USD in cash fairly easily through select ATMs or ITMs across Lebanon. “FX” account holders can […]