In Lebanon, random acts of violence that would ordinarily garner little attention elsewhere in the world grab the attention of the media and captivate the public due to the tenuous peace brought on by the hasty closing of Lebanon's civil war chapter. In one Lebanese region in particular, random acts of violence carry significant weight and create pronounced angst. Thus, when Georges Abou Madi was killed on October 6, 2009, in Beirut's Ain ar-Rummaneh neighborhood, Lebanon took notice.

As part of its "Random Acts of Violence vs. Civil Peace" series, UMAM D&R conducted research into the killing of Abou Madi, noting how the murder was perceived and deconstructed, paying particular attention to the way the narrative changed based upon respective sects and communities. In "Considerations and Narratives on the Killing of G. Abou Madi," five Lebanese newspapers, representing a range of viewpoints and backgrounds, are examined to study the public impact of the 2009 incident in Ain ar-Rummaneh, something impossible to do without reflecting upon the killings in that same neighborhood that famously marked the start of Lebanon's civil war on April 13, 1975.

In the publication, geography is juxtaposed with religion to fully delineate how random acts of violence such as the killing of a man in Ain ar-Rummaneh threaten Lebanon's civil peace and inspire worry in many, at least until the cycle of instability and hostility gives the public something new to focus on.

This publication is part of the Memories of the Past, Tools for the Present initiative and was made possible thanks to funding from the Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen (ifa).

In Lebanon, random acts of violence that would ordinarily garner little attention elsewhere in the world grab the attention of the media and captivate the public due to the tenuous peace brought on by the hasty closing of Lebanon's civil war chapter. In one Lebanese region in particular, random acts of violence carry significant weight and create pronounced angst. Thus, when Georges Abou Madi was killed on October 6, 2009, in Beirut's Ain ar-Rummaneh neighborhood, Lebanon took notice.

As part of its "Random Acts of Violence vs. Civil Peace" series, UMAM D&R conducted research into the killing of Abou Madi, noting how the murder was perceived and deconstructed, paying particular attention to the way the narrative changed based upon respective sects and communities. In "Considerations and Narratives on the Killing of G. Abou Madi," five Lebanese newspapers, representing a range of viewpoints and backgrounds, are examined to study the public impact of the 2009 incident in Ain ar-Rummaneh, something impossible to do without reflecting upon the killings in that same neighborhood that famously marked the start of Lebanon's civil war on April 13, 1975.

In the publication, geography is juxtaposed with religion to fully delineate how random acts of violence such as the killing of a man in Ain ar-Rummaneh threaten Lebanon's civil peace and inspire worry in many, at least until the cycle of instability and hostility gives the public something new to focus on.

This publication is part of the Memories of the Past, Tools for the Present initiative and was made possible thanks to funding from the Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen (ifa).