"I ett undantagstillstånd" : En kvalitativ studie om palestinska flyktingläger i Libanon

Sammanfattning: “In a state of exception” : A qualitative study about palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon Palestinian refugees in Lebanon have lived in refugee camps for 70 years. The situation is extremely difficult in these camps since they exist in a national, legal and political state of exception. Actual living conditions in the camps are affected by huge deficiencies, including poor infrastructure, sanitation and conduit system. The residents in camps have neither access to clean and drinkable water nor continuous electricity. Because the camps fall outside of Lebanon's national order, there are no resources to meet the residents’ needs. However, strong social contacts and communities exist in the camps at both local and transnational level. The study examines how Palestinians in Lebanese refugee camps use these social networks to deal with daily difficulties such as lack of water and electricity. To answer this, two questions are asked about what social support refugees receive from their local and transnational network. The answers were collected through semi- structural interviews with six people from camps. The results showed that Palestinian refugees’ live in a dual exception where either Lebanese state or political organizations that govern the camps can solve the problems. To help themselves the residents construct a special type of “support network” that ensures them essential forms of support from relationships with family, relatives, migrants, neighbors and acquaintances. The study presents four types of support; the first one is village associations where "rabta" (a kind of association) and saving boxes are organized between the residents in the camps and migrants outside to provide emergency assistance. The second is organized market solutions, which through contacts with acquaintances caters for water and electricity membership. The third is local support between family and neighbors where practical help in the form of “sharing strategies” and emotional support is delivered. The last form of support is about transnational support where family members who have migrated assist with economic, emotional and indicative support. In this way, informal support networks are created to facilitate difficulties Palestinian refugees encounter everyday in camps.