Visions of Beirut: The Urban Life of Media Infrastructure

Hatim El-Hibri's book "Visions of Beirut" explores how the creation and circulation of images have shaped the urban spaces and cultural imaginaries of Beirut, using fieldwork and various sources to trace the relationship between technology, media, and power.

\n Format: Paperback / softback
\n Length: 272 pages
\n Publication date: 11 June 2021
\n Publisher: Duke University Press
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In his captivating book, "Visions of Beirut," Hatim El-Hibri delves into the profound impact of image creation and circulation on the urban spaces and cultural landscapes of Beirut. Through meticulous fieldwork and a diverse range of sources, including maps, urban plans, aerial photographs, live television footage, and drone-camera imagery, El-Hibri meticulously traces how the technologies and media infrastructure that visualize the city are employed to either consolidate or destabilize regimes of power.

Throughout the course of the twentieth century, colonial, economic, and military mapping projects played a pivotal role in shaping and governing Beirut's physical spaces. In the 1990s, the imagery of Beirut's post-civil war downtown reconstruction portrayed the city as a prime destination for financial investment, effectively concealing its ongoing crises. However, during and in the aftermath of the 2006 Israel/Hizbullah war, Hizbullah's use of live television broadcasts of combat and protests, coupled with the construction of a war memorial museum at a former secret military bunker, starkly showcased the tension between visualizing space and the practices of concealment.

El-Hibri's book intricately outlines how Beirut's urban space and public life intertwine with images and infrastructure, raising crucial questions about how media embody and exacerbate the region's political fault lines. By examining the ways in which images are used to construct and contest narratives of identity, power, and belonging, "Visions of Beirut" offers a thought-provoking exploration of the complex interplay between visual representation and the socio-political dynamics of Beirut. This insightful work not only sheds light on the city's past but also provides valuable insights into the ongoing challenges and opportunities facing its vibrant and dynamic community.

\n Weight: 400g\n
Dimension: 152 x 228 x 19 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781478010777\n \n