INvisible GOvernors? INGOs and the Identity of Social Work in Lebanon

This chapter explores how non-governmental actors have shaped the identity of social work in Lebanon by tracing its historical evolution and highlighting broader implications on the current structure and function of the Lebanese welfare state. Drawing on poststructuralist discourse theory, we argue that the articulation of two core logics - a logic of emergency in welfare policy and governance, and a logic of (g)localisation (via aid localisation policies) in the design and provision of services - have expanded the range and reach of INGOs. While originally conceived as humanitarian and development initiatives, these practices have fundamentally shaped and redefined the local welfare system and the organisation of social services. We show how the ‘welfare system problem’ in Lebanon has been framed by a certain understanding of welfare as humanitarian aid in a state of permanent emergency. This understanding, we argue, is informed by a dominant (g)localisation agenda, that generates very specific responses about ‘how welfare policy and services are designed’, ‘who holds power in deciding priorities’, ‘what services are available’ and ‘what expectations and predispositions about welfare services are promoted and generated’.