Patchworks of Provisioning: Social Assistance in Beirut’s Informal Neighbourhoods

In crisis-ridden Lebanon, popular and political discourse often accuses some nationality groups of unfairly benefiting more from aid than others, undermining social cohesion. This study empirically examines how social assistance is distributed across Lebanese, Syrian, and Palestinian people living in Beirut’s diverse informal neighbourhood types. Using a mixed-methods approach, structured survey findings highlight statistically significant neighbourhood as well as nationality effects in aid receipt. The study challenges narratives of aid bias, urging policymakers to prioritise vulnerability over nationality, and address the structural marginalisation of urban informal areas and its inhabitants to promote equity and social cohesion in Lebanon.