Housing Reconstruction as Socio-economic Recovery and State Building: Evidence from Southern Lebanon

In the aftermath of the 2006 'July War' housing reconstruction in southern Lebanon proceeded along an owner-driven model funded primarily by Middle Eastern donors. This paper addresses the previously unexamined nature of this process, including the actors involved, amounts provided and the results achieved, before examining the ways in which implementation affected economic development, poverty alleviation, gender equity, disaster preparedness, cultural heritage and state building. As consistently identified within the literature, housing reconstruction following conflict and other crises has implications beyond the provision of permanent shelter, such as for health and psychosocial well-being. Emerging (or re-emerging) owner-driven approaches as applied in southern Lebanon, while possessing theoretical benefits, were found to have varied effects upon populations at differing socio-economic statuses. Mixed or hybrid approaches combining owner-driven and contractor-driven models may help to capitalise upon the strengths of each, such as local ownership and structural integrity, while ensuring a greater degree of flexibility than either is able to provide independently.