Imperialism and cultural institutions : the formation of French Syria and Lebanon
French rule over Syria and Lebanon was premised on a vision of a special French protectorate established by centuries of cultural activity; archaeological, educational and charitable. This vision translated into a meaning of the mandate as colonial protectorate, integrated into the French Empire. Initial French methods of organising and supervising cultural activity sought to embrace this vision and to implement it in the exploitation of antiquities, the management and promotion of cultural heritage, the organisation of education and control of the public opinion among literate classes. However, in-depth examination of the first five years of the League of Nations-assigned mandate reveals that French expectations of a protectorate were quickly dashed by consistent and widespread contestation of their mandatary methods within cultural institutions, not simply among Arabists but so too among minority groups initially expected to be loyal clients. The violence of imposing the mandate de facto, starting with a landing of French troops in the Lebanese and Syrian Mediterranean coast in 1919 and followed by extension to Syria âproperâ in 1920 was followed by consistent violent revolt and rejection of the very
Ouahes, Idir
Syria ; Lebanon ; France ; Empire ; Imperialism ; Colonialism ; Middle East ; Nationalism ; Anti-Colonialism ; Culture ; Arab World ; Near East ; Levant
Imperialism and cultural institutions : the formation of French Syria and Lebanon. French rule over Syria and Lebanon was premised on a vision of a special French protectorate established by centuries of cultural activity; archaeological, educational and charitable. This vision translated into a meaning of the mandate as colonial protectorate, integrated into the French Empire. Initial French methods of organising and supervising cultural activity sought to embrace this vision and to implement it in the exploitation of antiquities, the management and promotion of cultural heritage, the organisation of education and control of the public opinion among literate classes. However, in-depth examination of the first five years of the League of Nations-assigned mandate reveals that French expectations of a protectorate were quickly dashed by consistent and widespread contestation of their mandatary methods within cultural institutions, not simply among Arabists but so too among minority groups initially expected to be loyal clients. The violence of imposing the mandate de facto, starting with a landing of French troops in the Lebanese and Syrian Mediterranean coast in 1919 and followed by extension to Syria âproperâ in 1920 was followed by consistent violent revolt and rejection of the very
imperialism cultural_institution formation french syria lebanon french rule syria lebanon premise vision special french protectorate establish century cultural activity archaeological educational charitable vision translate mean mandate colonial protectorate integrate french empire initial french method organise supervise cultural activity seek embrace vision implement exploitation antiquity management promotion cultural_heritage organisation education control public_opinion among literate class however depth examination first league_nations mandate reveals french expectation protectorate quickly consistent widespread contestation method within cultural_institution simply among among minority_group initially expect loyal client violence impose mandate facto start land french troop lebanese syrian mediterranean coast follow extension syria proper follow consistent violent revolt rejection