Limited knowledge is available around the experiences of queer Lebanese American young adults, specifically around family secrecy around their sexuality. This gap in the marriage and family therapy research has significant implications, and erases the experiences of queer Arab young adults around disclosure of their sexual identity. This study examined the experiences of 19 Lebanese American young adults navigating secrecy around their sexual identity. Research questions presented were the following: a) How do queer Lebanese American young adults experience family secrecy surrounding their sexual identity and relationship? b) How do queer Lebanese American young adults interpret the process of family secrecy and are impacted by family secrecy? c) What are queer Lebanese American young adults' experiences of shifts in boundaries and alliances as a result of family secrecy? The study utilized structural family therapy or SFT (Minuchin, 1974) as the theoretical framework to guide the conceptualization of family dynamics and how they are impacted by the family secrecy surrounding the participants' sexuality. Findings illustrated the complexity of the family secrecy process, which is fraught with complex emotions, which resulted in a decision-making process around who to include in the secret, who to keep out of the secrecy, as well as strategies employed to maintain the secrecy and protect the family members from the implications of disclosure. Participants described the process as stressful and signifying shame around their sexual identities, and feeling as though their two identities, Lebanese and queer, were conflicting and could not coexist together. Findings also demonstrated the family unit's resilience and collectivism through participants relying on their family members, particularly mothers and siblings, to navigate this complex landscape. The findings have research and clinical implications, emphasizing the need to extend the discourse around sexual identity and disclosure to include Lebanese and Middle Eastern families within the field of family science. / Doctor of Philosophy / Limited knowledge is available around the experiences of queer Lebanese American young adults, specifically around family secrecy surrounding their sexuality. Past studies have focused on the experience of queer White individuals disclosing to their families, but very little has been known about the experience of Middle Eastern and Arab queer youth. The purpose of this study was to experience the emotions and meaning made around the secrecy, as well as the secrecy's impact on the family relationships and structure. The research questions presented were a) How do queer Lebanese American young adults experience family secrecy surrounding their sexual identity and relationship? b) How do queer Lebanese American young adults interpret the process of family secrecy and are impacted by family secrecy? c) What are queer Lebanese American young adults' experiences of shifts in boundaries and alliances as a result of family secrecy? Based on an analysis of 19 interviews, structural family therapy was used as a theory to frame the findings and help understand the impact of secrecy on the family relationships and structure, as well as the meaning and emotion experienced as a result of the secrecy. Overall, analysis revealed several key findings. The experience of disclosure and secrecy around sexuality is highly relational, in order to remain connected to their families. The experience of secrecy is not "all good" or "all bad". Strategies around secrecy were adopted by both queer Arab young adults and their families, and mothers or mother figures in particular played a crucial role in dictating the way secrecy was navigated, who was included in the secrecy process, as well as co-creating strategies with queer young adults on how to deal with extended family. This study has important clinical and research implications, in continuing to expand the conversation around disclosure and queerness, as well as amplifying the voices of Lebanese American young adults and their families.

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A number of Lebanese women writers of the period of 1950s and 1960s have received considerable attention by scholars. This is not the case, however, for Laylá Ba‘albakī, whom the field has failed to address in any substantive manner. In not paying sufficient attention to Laylá Ba‘albakī, the field has failed to appreciate the distinctly feminist dimension of her work. To date, most scholars have only repeated commonly held views about her and her fiction. By addressing Ba‘albakī’s biography and fiction, this thesis hopes to contribute to a fuller understanding of Lebanese women writers of 1950s and 1960s. It shows that Ba‘albakī joined the group Shi‘r, but none of the Lebanese or Syrian political parties; and that she faced conflict not only with her parents, community and the state, but also, unexpectedly, with the Lebanese women’s groups. This study discusses the reasons why Ba‘albakī was brought before the courts, supporting the view that the underlying reason was political, not moral; and it further explores the reasons why the writer ceased publishing. It now seems probable that she will soon release a new work, after a long hiatus, which may be controversial within Muslim and Arab society. Moreover, this thesis shows that throughout her novels and short stories there is diversity in styles and techniques, and the use of poetic and figurative language which displays the influence of several Arab and Western poets (including her father’s own zajal poetry). Furthermore, the study focuses in particular on feminist themes in her work, and the various literary devices she employs for advancing her feminist agenda. The study of these devices further supports the claim that the court case against her was motivated by politics, not ethics. This thesis opens the doors for new discussions such as the impacts of her being Shiite as and when sources become available.

The past economic dictate of large-scale production has worn out; the era of the managed economy has eventually come to an end. Instead, entrepreneurship is taking over as the new driver of worldwide economic development. Today, the people from the Lebanon have become an allegory for successful entrepreneurial endeavours abroad. Existing theories demonstrated that the experiences arising from migration enhance the ability to discover entrepreneurial opportunities. However, only a few academic sources actively discussed and explored the phenomenon of Lebanese entrepreneurship, thus leaving a gap for research. On these grounds, the purpose of this thesis is to gain a deeper understanding of how entrepreneurs of Lebanese origin engage in entrepreneurial activities in Sweden. The country of Sweden is facing a major transformation in its economic structure. Previously dependent on the export of raw materials, Sweden is now moving towards a knowledge-intensive economy, a shift that naturally results in an increase of entrepreneurial activities. In the theory chapter, various sub-concepts of entrepreneurship, the entrepreneurial process as well as the definition of a diaspora and its characteristics are explored. The following research question was elaborated: How does the entrepreneurial process of entrepreneurs with Lebanese origins, building up their economic activities in Sweden, look like? In order to gather the necessary empirical data to address the research question, four semi-structured interviews were conducted. In the analysis chapter, the collected data was scrutinized and matched with frameworks and theories extracted from the theory chapter. The final chapter contains the conclusion and limitations of this study, and makes suggestions for further research. This thesis contributes to existing research by providing information about the entrepreneurial process of immigrants, when setting up a business in Sweden. The main implication of this thesis constitutes that each entrepreneur has pursued their unique entrepreneurial path. Similarities were detected in the willingness to contribute to the Swedish society by proving their capabilities and the shared affiliation to their Lebanese heritage. Variances were found in the entrepreneurial processes as well as in the reasons for their involvement in entrepreneurial activities. To illustrate, some of the surveyed entrepreneurs discovered an entrepreneurial opportunity, whereas others created opportunities through their deliberate action.

Au Brésil, aujourd’hui, il existe une importante population d’origine libanaise dont São Paulo est le centre de ralliement principal. Forte de plusieurs millions d’individus, cette population s’est constituée par vagues successives dont les premières remontent au dernier quart du 19ème siècle. Elle a connu un notable succès entrepreneurial dont une conséquence majeure a été un phénomène peu commun, dans une population d’immigrants, de mobilité sociale ascendante. C’est ainsi qu’après avoir été à leurs débuts pour l’essentiel des mascates (colporteurs), ces immigrants sont parvenus, ultérieurement, à accéder à l’entrepreneuriat, principalement commercial. Et aujourd’hui, on voit ses membres se déployer, horizontalement, dans tous les domaines d’activité ou presque et, verticalement, escalader les échelles de la société jusqu’aux plus hautes sphères économiques, sociales et même politiques. C’est cette mobilité des immigrants et de leurs descendants, sur les deux plans horizontal et vertical qui constitue l’objet d’étude de cette thèse. L’objectif est, d’un côté, de retracer les parcours ayant sous-tendu le phénomène en question et, de l’autre, de repérer les causes qui l’ont rendu possible. S’agissant des causes, elles s’avèrent avoir tenu à des facteurs internes à la collectivité des immigrants libanais et à une conjoncture historique favorable. Cette dernière fut la résultante des grandes mutations économiques et sociales dont le Brésil a été le théâtre dans la période en vue. Quant aux parcours, ce furent ceux conduisant, après une transitoire situation de « minorité intermédiaire », à une intégration des Libanais dans la société d’accueil. Il s’agit d’une intégration « à la brésilienne », qui leur a permis de ne pas renoncer à leur libanité en tant qu’identité propre, mais de la conserver en la réinterprétant comme identité libano-brésilienne. / A large segment of the Brazilian population today is of Lebanese origin. These people are concentrated mainly in the economic hub of São Paulo. Comprising of several million individuals, this population was formed by successive waves of immigrants; the first dating back to the last quarter of the 19th century. Unusual in an immigrant population, this group has experienced remarkable entrepreneurial success, and consequentially a sociological phenomenon of outstanding upward social mobility has occurred within its ranks. Hence, although initially a population of mascates (hawkers), they subsequently managed to branch out into predominately commercial entrepreneurship. Today its members are deployed, horizontally, in almost all fields of economic activity and, vertically, have climbed the ladder into the highest spheres of economic, social and even political life. This thesis studies the issue of the upward social mobility of these immigrants and their descendants on both the horizontal and vertical levels. The aim of the study, on the one hand, was to trace the pattern underpinning the phenomenon in question, and on the other, to clarify the causes which made it possible. The findings of the study shed light on the causes relating to the specific personal characteristics of those concerned, coming into play in a historical window of opportunity. The latter, for its part, was the result of major economic and social changes, Brazil was encountering in the period under review. Following a transient self-structuring form of an 'intermediate minority', the ensuing pattern led to the perfect integration of these concerned into the host society adopting a model peculiar to Brazil, and as such, this population did not renounce their specific “Lebaneseness” as a component of their own identity. While the Brazilian syncretic model of integration allowed them to uphold, and maintain the specificity of their identity, it equally enabled them to redefine and reinterpret the same.

Creative visualization is an essential attribute to be possessed by an artist to achieve success in any art endeavour. To reach its purpose in all its fields, art is made manifest and is expressed through real genuine passion. This research study acknowledges Gibran Kahlil Gibran, as a distinguished immigrant artist, with a vision. A comparison is then made of six other artists, including the researcher, who have all had similar ordeals in the successful attainment of their vision. This biographical, neo-narrative research design methodology was recorded through extensive readings and lengthy interviews, which consisted of proposing specific questions to each of the participants in order to extract valid and comparable findings. As a consequence, the art researcher was able to observe, reflect and draw some relevant conclusions towards the creative vision of Lebanese immigrants, which led to their success despite hardships, expatriation, ambition and hope. This study has provided the researcher with real insight into the characteristics of these artists and what constitutes a successful immigrant. It has confirmed her pre-conceived perceptions that success takes time and personal effort. It highlights the importance for the existence of tolerance between people, which in turn will enable the realisation of empathy.

Immigration has been a prominent aspect of Canada’s make-up, and the effects of immigration on the nation’s economy and society continue to be debated. Largely ignored in the grand narrative of Canada’s multicultural history is the recognition of a first wave of immigrants of Lebanese descent who settled in Canada at the turn of the twentieth century. Little is known about the adaptation process that these immigrants were compelled to navigate during their settlement experience on the newly developed northern frontier of Ontario. These pioneer immigrants were instrumental in building and supporting the northern Ontario communities that would become the foundation for Canada’s mining industry. This thesis argues that the domains of family, work, and community engagement were significant factors in facilitating the process of adaptation and acculturation of early Lebanese immigrants to Canada. Using a narrative phenomenological approach to research, the emphasis was on understanding the roles that family, work, and community played in facilitating acculturation and adaptation of early immigrants. These roles were evident in the life story testimonies of ten descendants of the pioneer immigrants who immigrated to northern Ontario circa 1900. The last surviving elders, children of the pioneer immigrants, ranged in age between 79 and 93 and were born and raised in the northern Ontario mining communities of Cobalt, New Liskeard, Haileybury, Kirkland Lake, Cochrane, and North Bay. Findings were organized under three analytic categories: a) the role of the traditional family b) early immigrants’ role in peddling and entrepreneurship c) community engagement. A documentary film entitled Finding a Silver Lining is included in Chapter Five of the thesis and serves as an annex to the written text. A form of digital storytelling, the film interweaves historical events from the time period between 1900 and 1930 with video clips from participant interviews, archival images, and recorded audio narration.

Immigration has been a prominent aspect of Canada’s make-up, and the effects of immigration on the nation’s economy and society continue to be debated. Largely ignored in the grand narrative of Canada’s multicultural history is the recognition of a first wave of immigrants of Lebanese descent who settled in Canada at the turn of the twentieth century. Little is known about the adaptation process that these immigrants were compelled to navigate during their settlement experience on the newly developed northern frontier of Ontario. These pioneer immigrants were instrumental in building and supporting the northern Ontario communities that would become the foundation for Canada’s mining industry. This thesis argues that the domains of family, work, and community engagement were significant factors in facilitating the process of adaptation and acculturation of early Lebanese immigrants to Canada. Using a narrative phenomenological approach to research, the emphasis was on understanding the roles that family, work, and community played in facilitating acculturation and adaptation of early immigrants. These roles were evident in the life story testimonies of ten descendants of the pioneer immigrants who immigrated to northern Ontario circa 1900. The last surviving elders, children of the pioneer immigrants, ranged in age between 79 and 93 and were born and raised in the northern Ontario mining communities of Cobalt, New Liskeard, Haileybury, Kirkland Lake, Cochrane, and North Bay. Findings were organized under three analytic categories: a) the role of the traditional family b) early immigrants’ role in peddling and entrepreneurship c) community engagement. A documentary film entitled Finding a Silver Lining is included in Chapter Five of the thesis and serves as an annex to the written text. A form of digital storytelling, the film interweaves historical events from the time period between 1900 and 1930 with video clips from participant interviews, archival images, and recorded audio narration.

Creative visualization is an essential attribute to be possessed by an artist to achieve success in any art endeavour. To reach its purpose in all its fields, art is made manifest and is expressed through real genuine passion. This research study acknowledges Gibran Kahlil Gibran, as a distinguished immigrant artist, with a vision. A comparison is then made of six other artists, including the researcher, who have all had similar ordeals in the successful attainment of their vision. This biographical, neo-narrative research design methodology was recorded through extensive readings and lengthy interviews, which consisted of proposing specific questions to each of the participants in order to extract valid and comparable findings. As a consequence, the art researcher was able to observe, reflect and draw some relevant conclusions towards the creative vision of Lebanese immigrants, which led to their success despite hardships, expatriation, ambition and hope. This study has provided the researcher with real insight into the characteristics of these artists and what constitutes a successful immigrant. It has confirmed her pre-conceived perceptions that success takes time and personal effort. It highlights the importance for the existence of tolerance between people, which in turn will enable the realisation of empathy.

This study examines the views of twenty Sunni Muslim Lebanese families about issues of family, ethnicity, gender and racism. It provides insights into some of the complex ways these participants tend to define and experience ethnicity in Australia. This thesis also considers some of the ways Sunni Muslims narrate the ethnic self in regard to their social and cultural practices in contemporary Australia. It highlights the similarities and differences between the views of Sunni Muslim families from a community perspective. This study also made important connections between the notion of ethnicity and issues of class, gender and generation. This thesis provides a seven part analysis. The first part of this study provides an outline of contemporary issues relating to the social network of the Islamic Lebanese community in Victoria. The next part is about applying the methodology of this thesis. The methodological themes of interview-narratives were explored in this chapter. In so doing, it outlines the advantages of family group interviews in ethnic community-based studies. (For complete abstract open document)