The Lebanese Diaspora Voting Research Project
Goal
The goal of this research project is to understand why non-resident voting in Lebanese elections increased so sharply between 2018 and 2022, and why it increased in some places and not others. It also seeks to understand the views of non-resident Lebanese towards out-of-country voting.
Method
One of the main methods this project uses is in-depth interviewing. This involves speaking with members of the Lebanese diaspora to understand the motivations and barriers to voting, as well as speaking with civil society activists, campaign officials, and government officials about efforts to encourage out-of-country voting.
Impact
We hope that by understanding the growth of diaspora participation in Lebanese elections, we can learn lessons about how to promote political participation in the Lebanese diaspora and other diasporas.
Participate in the Research
You can help this research by participating in a confidential interview, virtually or in-person, at a convenient time of your choice. Interviews typically take one hour and are audio-recorded to ensure accurate transcription. Schedule an interview here!
About Research Participation
How can I participate in the research?
If you meet the eligibility requirements, you can participate by being interviewed for the project. You can also refer someone you know for an interview.
Interviews are confidential. Interviews typically take one hour, but may take up to 90 minutes. Participation in interviews is completely voluntary and participants can choose to end the interview at any time. Participants can also refuse to answer any question.
Interviews can take place in-person or over Zoom.
To get involved, contact Nadia Almasalkhi at nadiaalmasalkhi@berkeley.edu or +1 (502) 489-2928.
Who is eligible to participate?
Participants must fit the criteria of at least one of the following groups:
Group 1
Born before April 1, 2001;
Holds Lebanese citizenship or is legally able to claim Lebanese citizenship; and
Was residing in the United States, Canada, or the United Arab Emirates during October-November 2017 or October-November 2021 (the voter registration periods for out-of-country voters in the 2018 and 2022 Lebanese parliamentary elections).
Group 2
At least 18 years old; and
Was involved in activism in the United States, Canada, or the UAE related to the 2018 and/or 2022 Lebanese parliamentary elections.
Group 3
At least 18 years old; and
A current or former leader in a diasporic Lebanese community organization in the United States, Canada, or the UAE.
Group 4
At least 18 years old;
Has worked for a Lebanese parliamentary political campaign, a Lebanese political party, a civil society organization in Lebanon whose mission is related to politics or the diaspora, or a Lebanese government office whose mission is related to election administration or the diaspora and foreign affairs.
What are the costs and benefits of participation?
Participating will cost you nothing monetarily, but will cost approximately 60-90 minutes of your time. There are no direct benefits to participants.
How will you protect my confidentiality?
Interviews are confidential. That means that any identifying information about you will not be released or published without your explicit permission.
Interviews will be audio-recorded to ensure that transcripts are accurate. The audio recordings could identify you, which is why only research personnel (like the lead researcher and contracted transcriptionists) will have access to the audio file. After the transcript is made, the audio file will be deleted. Furthermore, identifying information will be redacted from the transcript.
Audio files and any other personally identifiable information linked to your research data (such as your contact information, if you opt-in to allow follow-up communications) will be stored in a password-protected file folder, on a password-protected computer or external hard drive that stays in the personal possession of the lead researcher.
For more details, review the “Informed Consent Document” in the section below.
What will you ask about in interviews?
When I interview Lebanese citizens in the US, Canada, or the UAE, I will ask them about their personal background, their familiarity and engagement with out-of-country voting in Lebanese elections, their reactions to major events in Lebanon between 2018 and 2022, and their thoughts on out-of-country voting in general.
When I interview election-related activists, politicians, and government officials, I will ask them about their election-related activities, their familiarity with the Lebanese diaspora, and how their election-related activities may have changed between the 2018 election and the 2022 election.
When I interview leaders of Lebanese community organizations in the United States, Canada, or the UAE, I will ask them about their organization, the local Lebanese community, and their familiarity and involvement in Lebanese expatriate voting.
What language will the interview be conducted in?
The interview can be conducted in English, Arabic, and/or French.
When you are scheduling your interview, please let us know what language(s) you are most comfortable with. We may bring an interpreter to facilitate a smooth conversation.
When will you be in my city?
If you would like to meet for an in-person interview, I will be in the following cities on the following dates:
Los Angeles: December 20 - January 15
Dubai & Abu Dhabi: January 16 - February 18
Toronto: April 23 - May 21
Windsor, Canada: May 22 (arriving in afternoon) - May 28 (departing mid-day)
Detroit: June 3 - June 24
Montreal: July 31 - August 28
Important Documents
Meet the Researchers
Nadia Almasalkhi
Lead Researcher
Nadia is a PhD candidate in the Department of Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley. She leads the project and conducts all research interviews.
Nadia earned her master’s degree in Sociology from the University of California, Berkeley. Her master’s thesis studied the Syrian diaspora in the United States and their involvement in Arab Spring activism. She earned her bachelor’s degrees from the University of Kentucky in International Studies and Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures, with a focus on Arabic and French. As an undergraduate, she worked in refugee resettlement agencies and non-profit immigration law offices. She is passionate about immigration issues and the political participation of Middle Eastern diasporas.
Nadia was born in Kentucky (USA) to Syrian immigrant parents. She admires the Lebanese diaspora’s continuing connection to their homeland and hopes to see the Syrian diaspora maintain a similar connection one day.
See her UC Berkeley profile here.
Dr. Irene Bloemraad
Faculty Supervisor
Dr. Bloemraad is a Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley. She advises the project.
Professor Bloemraad holds the Class of 1951 Professorship in Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley. She is also the Chair of the Canadian Studies Program at Berkeley and the founder and director of the Berkeley Interdisciplinary Migration Initiative. She earned her PhD in Sociology at Harvard University and her master’s degree at McGill University. Her research focuses on immigrant integration, community organizations, and multiculturalism, with an emphasis on U.S.-Canada comparisons.
Professor Bloemraad’s interest in migration comes from personal experience: She was born in Europe, moved to Canada as a child, and migrated to the United States in her early 20s.
See her UC Berkeley profile here.
Who funds this project?
Nadia Almasalkhi received funding from the following organizations to support her research:
National Science Foundation (U.S.)
Department of Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley
Canadian Studies Program at the University of California, Berkeley
Center for Middle Eastern Studies at the University of California, Berkeley
Institute of International Studies at the University of California, Berkeley
This list will be updated as further funding is obtained.
Contact Us
Use the contact form here, or the contact information below, to ask questions about the project or express interest in participating in a confidential research interview. The lead researcher, Nadia Almasalkhi, will get back to you as soon as possible.
Make sure to scroll down through the Contact Form to submit your message.
Contact
Email: nadiaalmasalkhi@berkeley.edu
Phone/WhatsApp: +1 (502) 489-2928
ONTARIO & MICHIGAN: Schedule a Research Interview!
Participants can schedule their interview using Calendly. In-person appointments in Detroit and Windsor are available through June 24th. In-person appointments in Montreal are available from August 1st through 28th. Zoom interviews can be scheduled on any of these dates listed on Calendly. If you don't see your preferred time available, contact me and we can try to arrange a meeting that is convenient for you.
I have a car and am happy to meet at a location that is convenient for you. Ideal interview locations are places where you feel comfortable expressing yourself, and are quiet enough for a conversation (e.g., your home, your office, a cafe, a library meeting room, etc).
