The evolution of Hezbollah : party formation and political legitimacy

Abstract

This research describes the notion of evolution in terms of the Party of God 'Hezbollah'. The assessment of the transformation of Hezbollah endured due to domestic and international pressure alongside its strategically based interests is stressed using the understandings of theoretical frameworks of Conflict Analysis and Resolution and International Relations. Broad theoretical frameworks that encompass this research include culture, and identity. The struggle for its continuous presence and security Hezbollah faces in its home of Lebanon, a high conflict area, located in the far east of the Mediterranean Sea has been claimed to have been the cause or part of events that have engraved trauma in the domestic and international regions. Lebanon a country that is at war with several identities within and outside its zone holds one of the keys to establishing peace in the region. The struggle this organization holds within its society and internationally, has caused its positional defense for its culture and identity to aspire and drive for political legitimization and increasing mobilization. It is a fight in which Hezbollah is seen to have taken, that has evolved over the years to almost looking like a diplomatic fight for its presence in an unwanted setting by some of its neighboring states and even its domestic area which has impacted diplomatic relations. In the process of researching and writing this thesis, it is divided to provide literature search and reviews of media documents, scholarly journals, books, and memoranda of Hezbollah to analyze the social movement's evolution.