Hydro-Hegemony and the Politics of Water
in Lebanon and Palestine — Reem Rizk

"Hydro-Hegemony and the Politics of Water in Lebanon and Palestine" draws on fieldwork conducted in July 2026 in Sour and the neighboring villages of Rachidieh, Mansouri, Loubye, Borj El Chmali, and Deir Qanoun El Nahr at the south of Lebanon. Through photographs, video, and testimony, it traces the daily lives of farmers navigating an increasingly precarious agricultural landscape. Rizk examines how the targeting of the Litani River and its irrigation systems, amid the ongoing war with Israel, threatens both rural livelihoods and the fragile ecosystems that sustain them. Water has become an instrument of occupation and territorial control. In Gaza, this strategy has taken a more devastating form: the destruction of desalination plants, wells, pipelines, and sewage systems has induced famine, spread waterborne disease, and deepened an already severe humanitarian crisis. The talk will be followed by responses from Dr. Rebecca Bryant Ph.D, Professor of Anthropology, Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Utrecht University, and Socrates Stratis Ph.D. Architect and Urbanist, Professor, Department of Architecture, University of Cyprus. This event marks the opening of "Across Waters," running from September through December 2026, encompassing a performance, an exhibition, and film and discursive series taking place between Lebanon and Cyprus.