PhD thesis: Development of Soft Power Framework Using Religion as an Instrument for Peace: Lebanon as a Case Study

Description

This thesis offers an evaluation of the soft power framework of using religion as an instrument for peace. It further explores the role of women in peacebuilding and then by drawing lessons from Northern Ireland and its relevance to Lebanon. This research examined the previously unexplored areas of the significance of the use of religion as an instrument for peace and the potential women’s contribution to peacebuilding. Lebanon is a small state with a sizeable population endowed with a unique set of ethnic, religious, and political
diversity which hinges upon Christianity and Islam and a history of religious-sectarian harmony and religioussectarian conflict. The strategies of soft power seek to enhance a country’s capacity to convince others without
resorting to threats or force. While most countries derive their soft power from cultural and political values and through foreign policy orientation, the cultural strength of Lebanon is moored to its religious diversity and harmony which are the key source of Lebanon’s soft power. As a strategy, the soft power derived from these sources can be directed to the objective of peacebuilding.
Adopting a mixed-methods approach, this research employs surveys to elicit insights into perceptions of religion and women's peacebuilding involvement, as well as semi-structured interviews and ethnographic analysis to reveal lived experiences and strategies for navigating religious and political spaces. Thematic analysis compares these findings with the situation in Northern Ireland, where peacebuilding efforts are now both recognized and celebrated. Lessons from Northern Ireland’s peace treaty provide valuable insights for Lebanon and an applicable roadmap for peacebuilding success.
Findings of this research highlight the ways religion used to overcome such barriers, suggesting ways to expand and formalize their peacebuilding roles. It reveals also that women’s peacebuilding in Lebanon is profoundly shaped by the nexus of religion, gender, and politics, deriving from Lebanon’s long-established confessionalism, which distributes power through religious affiliation. Religion thus presents Lebanese peacebuilding with opportunities and challenges, both promoting reconciliation and heightening discord by leveraging religion’s
positive connotations through community and faith-based networks. Nevertheless, their official participation is limited by Lebanon’s deeply entrenched sectarian and patriarchal structures. It argues that only through
dismantling the enduring convergence of sectarianism, patriarchy, and religion can Lebanon achieve urgently needed, inclusive and collaborative approaches to building sustainable peace. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of religion, gender, and peacebuilding in divided societies, offering both theoretical perspectives and practical recommendations to enhance religion and women’s roles in Lebanese peacebuilding and it advocates for increased cross-stakeholder dialogue

Period	7 May 2025
Examinee	Alaa Harb
Examination held at	Glasgow Caladonian University
Degree of Recognition	International