International Speaker Series
Presented by NCMC's Global Studies Program & the International Committee
Hezbollah is one of the main political and military forces in Lebanon. But is it a popular resistance movement, a political party, or a puppet militia controlled by Iran? From its origins in the Movement of the Disinherited, founded in 1974 by Shia cleric Musa Sadr, to the leadership of Hassan Nasrallah, killed by Israel on September 27, 2024, this talk will historicize Hezbollah as an organization defined by and defining of the Lebanese political scene in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Key highlights will include the analysis of its participation in the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990), its turn to politics in the 1990s, and its role in the expulsion of Israeli troops from Lebanon in 2000. The talk will particularly explore recent events, like Hezbollah’s alleged responsibility in the Beirut Port explosion of 2020, its work in the healthcare sector and public assistance programs, and the role of its militias in Syria against Isis, as well as less known aspects as its cultural policies (i.e. Museum of Resistance in Mleeta)
This is a free event sponsored by NCMC's International Committee.
Javier Guirado-Alonso
Javier is a Visiting Assistant Professor at Kennesaw State University, where he teaches world history; and a fellow at SEPAD (Sectarianism, Proxies, and De-Sectarianization), a project based in Lancaster University. He obtained his PhD at Georgia State University in 2024 with a dissertation about oil, labor, and civil society in twentieth-century Qatar. In 2023-2024 he was a Visiting Researcher at the Orient-Institut Beirut, funded by the Max Weber Foundation
North Central Michigan College routinely holds lectures and workshops on a variety of engaging topics. The views expressed by speakers and presenters are their own and do not reflect the opinions of North Central Michigan College or its employees.
Free Speech Circle:
The college recently established its Free Speech Circle, located in the center of the Harris Sculpture Garden and designated with a sign. Free speech activities are welcomed at this site, which comprises the white concrete circle.
