Contesting exile: Digital activism and the reimagining of intergenerational refugee resistance in lebanon

This article examines the evolution of intergenerational resistance strategies among refugee communities in Lebanon, focusing on how younger generations reimagine and challenge borders in ways distinct from their predecessors. Drawing on qualitative interviews and ethnographic research with Palestinian and Syrian refugees, the study explores the diverse tactics used to navigate and contest restrictive border regimes, legal barriers, and socio-economic exclusion. While older generations engage in resistance rooted in traditional community solidarity, cultural preservation, and survival-based adaptation, younger refugees leverage digital activism, global networks, and creative expression to transcend the structural violence of borders. These acts of resistance are framed not merely as reactive responses but as proactive efforts to dismantle and redefine borders as sites of exclusion. The findings reveal how technological advancement, shifting political contexts, and the digitization of advocacy have reshaped resistance into a transnational and increasingly visible struggle. In doing so, the article demonstrates how digital activism is not merely a tool of visibility but a transformative force in reimagining refugee resistance across generations. This study contributes to broader discussions on mobility justice, border politics, and youth-led movements by emphasizing the enduring and evolving agency of displaced communities.