Project Director

Groh, Rita

Department Examiner

Samuel, Michael; Tracy-Samuel, Annie

Department

Dept. of Political Science, Public Administration and Nonprofit Management

Publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Place of Publication

Chattanooga (Tenn.)

Abstract

Colonization is characterized in literature through the lens of the colonizer, defined primarily by its successes. From the discovery of the New World by Columbus in 1492 to the establishment of the United States of America by the EU, spread of democracy across the globe, and its association with the idea of globalization, colonization is seen as the pioneer of the modern world. While colonization has played a large role in the development of the world as we know it, paving the way for the success of many independent nations, it has also simultaneously hindered the development of many. This research analyzes the impact of colonization on the political development of the colony through a focus on France’s colonization of Lebanon. This research encapsulates four main themes: the switch from Lebanon as an autonomous entity under Ottoman rule to a colony under the French Mandate, the current secular division in modern Lebanese governance, and the total economic and political control of Lebanon by France, which hindered its development as an independent nation. The fourth theme is related to the overarching theme of this work, that the colonial mission by European countries and the United States was unsuccessful and worsened rather than strengthened the political development of the colony post-independence. This study hopes to add to the limited scholarship on the impact of colonization on the political development of the colony and pioneer a new connection between colonialism and the failure of the colony.

Acknowledgments

I dedicate this work to my parents and little sister; thank you for always believing in me and supporting me throughout this process.

Degree

B. S.; An honors thesis submitted to the faculty of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Bachelor of Science.

Date

12-2025

Subject

Postcolonialism--Political aspects

Location

France--Colonies--Asia; Lebanon--Politics and government

Keyword

Colonization; Political Development; Nationalism; Secularism; Lebanon and France; Mandate

Discipline

International Relations

Document Type

Theses

Extent

i, 48 leaves

DCMI Type

Text

Language

English

Rights

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

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