The Life and Afterlife of an Artefact
Grand Lycée Franco-Libanais de Beyrouth
Index Topics to be Covered
Introduction
The Afterlife: GLFL Today
Historical Context: GLFL and the Green Line
Theoretical Analysis: Schools as Spaces of Power
Conclusion: GLFL – A Colonial Relic or Modern Educational Hub?
GLFL’ Fate
Primary Fate : Retention
GLFL has retained its original function as an educational institution.
Despite its colonial origins during the French Mandate, the school has remained operational and continues to serve as a prominent French-Lebanese school.
The Mission Laïque Française (MLF) still oversees its curriculum, maintaining its Francophone educational identity.
Partial Transinstitutionalization
While the school’s primary function remains unchanged, it has been modernized and expanded beyond its original colonial framework.
Post-Civil War (1990s-2000s): The school underwent renovations to update its facilities, incorporating new infrastructure, such as the Stade du Chayla sports complex.
Shifts in Educational Policy: While still linked to France, GLFL has adapted to Lebanese academic and cultural influences, making it a hybrid institution rather than a purely French colonial school.
1.Introduction
GLFL as an Artefact
- Originally established under French educational policies during the Mandate period (1920-1943).
- It remains a prestigious institution in Beirut today, linked to the Mission Laïque Française (MLF).
- How has GLFL’s architectural identity evolved from its colonial roots to its present form?
- How did the Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990) and the Green Line divide impact the school’s trajectory?
2. The Afterlife: GLFL Today
Present Use
A secular French school catering to Lebanese and international students.
Part of the MLF (Mission Laïque Française) network, blending French and Lebanese curricula.
Architectural Evolution
Originally designed by Michel Écochard, a French planner. Renovated between 1996-2003 following war damage.
Expanded with a new sports stadium (Stade du Chayla, 2005, renovated 2018).
Urban Context in Achrafieh:
Located in a densely populated district that has transformed postwar.
Continues to hold an elite status, yet adapts to Lebanon’s modern educational demands.
3. Historical Context: GLFL and the Green Line
3.1. The French Mandate & Colonial Influence
Educational Policies (1920-1943):
Established as part of France’s mission to "civilize" and educate Lebanon’s Francophone elite.
Modeled after French state schools, reinforcing language and political ties to France.
School as a Colonial Tool
The GLFL and other French colonial schools in Lebanon aimed to assimilate local elites.
Similar to French colonial schools in Algeria and Indochina.
1996-2003
Expansion & Modernization 1920-1943
Civil War & Destruction
French Mandate & Founding of GLFL 1975-1990
Reconstruction 2005-2018
3.2. The Lebanese Civil War & the Green Line (1975-1990)
GLFL’s Proximity to the Green Line:
The Green Line separated Muslim-majority West Beirut from Christian-majority East Beirut.
GLFL, in Achrafieh (East Beirut), was near the frontlines and suffered extensive damage.
Impact of War on the School:
Campus was partially destroyed due to its location in a conflict zone.
Many students and staff were displaced, disrupting its operations.
Post-War Recovery:
Reconstruction (1996-2003): Restoring damaged sections while modernizing infrastructure.
Continued French Government Support: France played a key role in restoring GLFL as a cultural institution.
4.Theoretical Analysis: Schools as Spaces of Power
4.1. Schools as Disciplinary Institutions (Foucault)
Michel Foucault’s "Discipline & Punish" (1975): Schools function as disciplinary spaces, similar to prisons.
GLFL’s structured environment and colonial origins reflect a legacy of controlled education.
4.2. Selective Remembrance & Strategic Forgetting
How does GLFL preserve its French colonial past while adapting to modern Lebanon?
What aspects of its Green Line history are emphasized or erased? Comparisons to Other Colonial Schools: French schools in Algeria → Erased post-independence.
Indian Residential Schools (Canada) → Acknowledged as sites of trauma.
GLFL? → A hybrid "transnational institution", balancing Lebanese and French identities.
5.Conclusion GLFL – A Colonial Relic or Modern Educational Hub?
GLFL remains a product of colonialism, but it has adapted to serve contemporary Lebanese society. It is both a site of memory (colonial heritage) and transformation (modern education system).
The school’s history raises questions about post-colonial identity, education, and cultural heritage in Lebanon.
Sources
Academic Sources
Burke, C., & Grosvenor, I. (2008). School: Beacons of civilization. London: Reaktion Books.
Châtelet, A.-M. (2017). Architectures scolaires: 1900-1939. Paris: Éditions du Patrimoine, Centre des Monuments Nationaux.
Foucault, M. (1975). Discipline and punish: The birth of the prison (A. Sheridan, Trans.). Vintage Books.
Gutman, M., & De Coninck-Smith, N. (Eds.). (2008). Designing modern childhoods: History, space, and the material culture of children. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.
Uduku, O. (2018). Learning spaces in Africa: Critical histories to 21st-century challenges and change. Routledge.
Primary Sources & Reports
Mission Laïque Française (MLF). (2024). Grand Lycée Franco-Libanais de Beyrouth. Retrieved from https://www.mlfmonde.org
Lebanese Civil War & Green Line: Green Line (Lebanon). (2024). Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Line_(Lebanon)
Grand Lycée Franco-Libanais de Beyrouth. (2024). Wikipedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand Lyc%C3%A9e Franco-Libanais
Online Articles & Digital Archives
ResearchGate. (2024). Beirut’s Division (1974-1990). Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/
Le Monde. (2005). GLFL & Post-War Education in Lebanon. Retrieved from https://www.lemonde.fr
Al-Akhbar. (2020). Achrafieh’s Urban Transformation Post-Civil War. Retrieved from https://www.al-akhbar.com
Historical & Visual Sources
Écochard, M. (1950). Urban planning and school architecture in Beirut. Archives de l’Urbanisme Français. ResearchGate. (2024). Map of Beirut’s Green Line (1975-1990). Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net
Atelier Jad & Sami Tabet. (2016). Grand Lycée Franco-Libanais Beyrouth - Renovation Project. Retrieved from https://atelierjstabet.com/equipement/grand-lycee-francolibanais-beyrouth/
GLFL Official Website. (2024). Stade du Chayla & School Facilities. Retrieved from https://www.glfl.edu.lb