This document examines the Lebanese diaspora community in England and how they maintain their cultural identity through the hospitality industry. It discusses how Lebanese migrants have established restaurants and cafes serving Lebanese cuisine, which allows them to feel connected to their homeland and also introduces English customers to Lebanese culture. The document also explores how traditions like belly dancing and folk dances are performed in these establishments as a way for the diaspora to express and celebrate their national identity abroad.

1. Identity, Culture and Hospitality:
The Lebanese Diaspora in England
Ali Abdallah
(University of Sunderland, UK)

3. Research aims
• To examine the importance of identity to the
Lebanese Diaspora in England and
• How the Lebanese national identity (culture,
tradition, and heritage) is used in the
hospitality industry in England.
• How the popular Lebanese cuisine and
associated traditions are used by Lebanese
migrants in England.

4. Lebanon
• Resident population of 4 million
• Diaspora population of 15 million
• Since 1975 Lebanese out migration has
gradually re-orientated towards Western
Europe

5. The Lebanese

6. Theorising Tourism and Human
Mobilities
• Colonial and post-
colonial ties
• The question of ‘home’
• VFR tourism

7. Tourism and Diasporas
• Barber’s (2001: 178)
definition diasporas are:
‘communities that
define themselves by
reference to a distant
homeland from which
they once originated.’

8. Tourism and Diasporas
• diaspora experiences of tourism;
• the spaces occupied by diaspora tourists;
and
• the production of tourism for and by
diasporic communities.
• Diaspora identities are creolised or
hybridised…

9. Tourism and Diasporas
in a Mobile World
• Williams and Hall (2002: 2) have
• How do migrants re- noted that while the tourism-
engage their host migration interface stretches back
to at least the Grand Tour, ‘there
countries? are new forms of mobility which
were unimaginable a generation
• The politics of earlier … the young Pole visiting
affiliation for Germany on a tourist visa, but
paying for his or her trip by taking
Diasporas… casual work and petty trading…’

10. Sport, Tourism and Diaspora
Populations
• diasporic communities
can lead to the
production of new
forms of tourism as
they become visited
themselves by residents
of the original
‘homeland’

11. Events, Tourism and Diasporas
• Or, they may take the
form of engaging with
specific events
targeted specifically at
them…
• a diasporic population
helps to support the
serious development
of outbound tourism

12. The Lebanese Diaspora
• The contemporary use of the term Lebanese
diaspora embraces different senses of exile.
• Humphrey (2004) explains that the present self-
consciousness of the Lebanese diaspora was
brought into existence by the displacement of
people by the Lebanese war.
• Humphrey (2004) then argues that the Lebanese
diasporic experience is the product of national
disintegration and the destruction of social
worlds and their experience of resettlement in
migration.

13. The Lebanese Diaspora
• Abdelhady (2007):
• Lebanese migrants are mostly highly educated
professionals who pursue goals of educational
and economic improvements in their new
settings.
• They want to separate themselves from other
migrant groups but desire participation within
the host community.

14. The Lebanese Diaspora
• Abdelhady (2007) further clarifies that notions of
solidarity, democracy and rights are central to
many members of the Lebanese diaspora and
thus, an emphasis on cosmopolitan citizenship
informs their participation in public activities.
• Kemp (1992: 685) argues that many Lebanese
migrants consider western countries such as
Canada, America and Britain to be the ultimate
land of settlement, a place where their children
can have a decent future.

15. Lebanese Diaspora and “Exoticness”
• Naff (1988, 175) describes how foreign language was
sometimes a barrier for Lebanese immigrants. Here is an
example of barriers that faced Lebanese migrants:
• - “a woman peddler reported how an American lady
once slammed the door in her face saying, “I’m sorry.” The
peddler was puzzled; she was trying to sell the lady who
instead wanted from her ‘msory’ meaning money in Arabic.
• - A woman trying to convince a customer was heard
mixing English and Arabic saying: “Buy sumthin’, ya [Oh]
Laydee wil [and the] husban’ dead. Six chil’ren, ya Laydee,
oo mafish [and there is no] bread. Buy sumthin’, ya Laydee,
bleeze *please+”

16. Lebanese Diaspora and “Exoticness”
• “Exoticness” in the cuisine: the “exoticness” of the
Lebanese cuisine is demonstrated by Abdelrahman’s
(2007) simple statement: “just when diners think
they’ve had enough, the main dish is served”, “when
you say you’re full, FOOL *Lebanese dish+ is served”
and “when you say you’ve had enough they think your
shy and simply re-top your plate”. The author provides
the latter statement as a reason for why the Lebanese
cuisine is constantly growing and further states “as for
Lebanese restaurants; their place at the heart of the
culinary establishment looks set only to strengthen”.

17. Food and the Lebanese Diaspora

18. Food and the Lebanese Diaspora
• Saad (2011) argues that
Lebanon’s cuisine is
deeply rooted in its
history and enjoys a
great reputation
worldwide.
• He further suggests that
the Lebanese food
industry is highly valued
by European and
American consumers.

19. Food and the Lebanese Diaspora
• Khechen (2007)
consequently suggesting
that the Lebanese cuisine
provides a real experience
of the traditional Lebanon
without individuals
having to visit the country
itself.
• He further suggests that
the Lebanese cuisine is
simultaneously a means
of unification and a
symbol of separation.

20. Small Businesses and the Lebanese
Diaspora
• Adbulrahim (2009) explores how Lebanese
immigrants come to be incorporated into
small business enterprises, analysing the
factors that encourage Lebanese migrants to
establish small businesses.
• He shows how social capital manifested
among Lebanese immigrants in the form of
having access to resource-rich social
relationships.

21. Hospitality and the Lebanese Diaspora
• Moallem (2000) in-turn argues that Lebanese
Hospitality is evident through small and
medium enterprises in the shape of cafes,
restaurants and snack bars.
• Rowe (2008) through field research in various
Lebanese villages, describes how the
memories of subtle differences abound and
survive through recipes passed down in family
lines.

22. Hospitality and the Lebanese Diaspora
• Rowe (2008) argues that the diversity in
village food ways has given way to
acknowledging a more generic and flexible
“Lebanese cuisine” in the diaspora.
• Shryock (2000) argues that as Lebanese food
is used in restaurants for profit reasons, the
“real” ingredients are not being used for
dishes in order to cut costs.

23. Hospitality and the Lebanese Diaspora
• Belly-dancing and • http://www.youtube.co
“dabki”: a cultural m/watch?v=Tjz_93zybk
Identity for Lebanese Y
migrants?

24. Conclusions
• The body and desire:
Smoking, eating and
dancing as signifing
national identity for the
diaspora.

25. Thanks
• Please email
ali.abdallah@sunderland.ac.uk