In May 2024, the What If organized a dialogue about the social contract in Lebanon. 

Objective of the Dialogue


To reflect on what a future social contract for Lebanon could look like—one that overcomes sectarianism, restores citizen trust in the state, and lays the foundation for equality, accountability, and nonviolence as core principles of national life.

Participants & Backgrounds

  • Ali Mourad – University professor of law, political and human rights activist
  • Mohammad Serhan – Journalism graduate and political activist in the Lebanese National Bloc
  • Zeina Misk – Sociologist specialized in conflict resolution
  • Jana Abi Morshed – Theater teacher and activist in feminist and human rights causes
  • Verena El Amil – Lawyer, university lecturer, and political activist
  • Samah Halwany – PhD candidate in social integration of refugee women with disabilities; consultant and social worker
  • Amal Tarabay Zebian – Civil society activist
  • Moderator: Sonia Nakad – Peacebuilding practitioner and dialogue facilitator

Five Key Takeaways

Lebanon’s Current Social Contract Is Failing, and Exclusion Is Its Core Flaw

Participants agreed the existing arrangement is broken. It prioritizes sectarian power-sharing over inclusive governance, resulting in state failure, public distrust, and institutional collapse. From the judiciary to healthcare, the system has shifted from protecting rights to preserving elite interests.

Sectarian Affiliation Still Defines Political Behavior, But It’s Not Immutable

Speakers noted that many Lebanese continue voting along sectarian lines—not out of ignorance, but because their concept of “interest” is tied to group survival. Changing this logic requires not just political critique, but offering realistic alternatives that appeal to both individual rights and collective security.

Equality Must Be Central to Any New Social Contract

The future social contract must guarantee equal rights across gender, disability, legal status, and sect. Without recognizing stateless individuals, Palestinian refugees, and marginalized women, no agreement can be truly national. As Samah Halwanyt put it: 

Diversity alone is not enough. We need equality.

Accountability and Trust Are Prerequisites for National Renewal

Whether it’s October 17 or Taif, every proposed shift in Lebanon’s political order has failed in part because accountability was traded away. A new contract must ensure legal consequences for corruption, theft, and political violence. Trust, both between citizens and in institutions, can only be built through justice.

There Is No Social Contract Without Nonviolence and Humility

Across the dialogue, participants emphasized that Lebanon’s social contract must be grounded in peaceful conflict resolution. One key principle was voiced clearly: “We do not solve our problems through war.” Humility in political discourse: acknowledging others’ fears, admitting past mistakes is essential to building a common foundation.

The social contract among Lebanese people should start with a fundamental principle: we do not solve our problems through war.

Ali Mourad

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We used AI to help us with the summary of the dialogue’s transcript, and with the copy editing of the final draft.