2018-02-142021-04-142018-02-142021-04-142017https://hdl.handle.net/11244.46/1394© 2017, The Journal of Global Affairs is the official student research publication of the Department of International and Area Studies in the College of International Studies at the University of Oklahoma. Correspondence may be sent to: Journal of Global Affairs, C/O CIS/DIAS, 729 Elm Avenue, Hester Hall 150, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States of America. Email: jga@ou.edu.Throughout its history, Lebanon as faced an identity crisis that has been exacerbated by two fundamental documents -- the National Pact of 1943 and the Ta'if Agreement. These documents worked to ingrain identity into Lebanese politics and created a power- sharing system that was intended to equally represent all of Lebanon's religious groups. However, these documents failed to create a balance and only created tensions as minority Christian Maronites often had control over majority Sunni Muslims. These two documents have had a lasting impact on the Lebanese state and society and provide important lessons for other Middle Eastern states regarding the implementation of confessional or consociational systems.About Kaitlin PeachKaitlin Peach is in her final year of the accelerated Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts program in International Studies, with minors in Arabic, French, and Middle East Studies. Her Master's thesis research focuses on the Syrian conflict and the potential outcomes of the conflict. During her undergraduate studies, she studied abroad in Turkey and Jordan and completed an internship with The Carter Center's Syria Mapping Project. After graduation, Kaitlin plans to pursue a career in the field of conflict resolution in the Middle East.12 pages224,754 bytesapplication.pdfAttribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)document