United by Principles - Transversal Politics and the Women's Social Movement in Lebanon

In this field study, the possibilities and obstacles facing five organisations in the women's social movement in Lebanon are described and discussed. In the light of globalisation, transnational social movements have emerged as an alternative political arena to promote various issues of global concern, among them women's rights. The idea of ?transversal politics? emphasises the importance of social movements, as they can unite a diversity of people under a shared value or a common interest, and play the role as both sites and sources of democratisation. The transversal politics model aims to expand democracy into the spheres of society ? such as the international arena, the family and the economy ? where it is still very much absent or suffering from strong deficits. Lebanon is a fragmented society, where political identity is closely tied to sect affiliation. United by shared values, the women's social movement manages to bridge the sectarian divisions and work for gender equality and democratisation. By questioning the social and political structures of society, they challenge the borders of what is political, as well as the boundaries of the social identity