Sintia Issa | The Public Source

A smiling woman wearing a black veil sits against a black background. Her hands and face are visibly scarred.

The Wound as Witness

Introduction by

Fátima Fouad el-Samman

Photographs by

Fatima Joumaa

A photo of a smiling man in front of a black background. He is bearded, wearing black, and wearing sunglasses. There are scars on his face.

A Brotherhood of Sacrifice

By

Fátima Fouad el-Samman

Photographs by

Fatima Joumaa

Boy wearing glasses, a navy blue polo shirt, and beige pants sitting against a black background. His hands are crossed in his lap. His face is scarred; his right hand is injured and missing fingers.

A Wounded Childhood

By

Fátima Fouad el-Samman

Photographs by

Fatima Joumaa

A medium studio portrait of a woman, Rawan al-Moussawi, seated against a solid black background. She is wearing a white hijab patterned with vibrant blue, purple, and orange flowers, along with a dark green long-sleeved dress. She is smiling warmly with her eyes closed. Visible scarring and healing shrapnel injuries are present across her face, particularly on her forehead, nose, and cheeks.

Motherhood in Her Hands

By

Fátima Fouad el-Samman

Photographs by

Fatima Joumaa

A man dressed in black walks through a crowd holding a framed portrait of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei against his chest while raising a red sign with the Arabic text "#انتقام" (#Revenge) in the air. Red flags and other mourners carrying portraits are visible in the background.

When the Supreme Leader Disappears: The Politics of Occultation in Iran

By

Maziyar Ghiabi

A black-and-white photograph of a large formation of Lebanese Army soldiers marching in tight unison during a drill. The soldiers are dressed in matching uniforms and combat boots, wearing distinctive helmets with integrated ear and chin protection, holding rifles diagonally across their chests. In the background, a war-torn urban landscape features large mounds of dirt and rubble in front of a heavily damaged, multi-story apartment complex and a smaller white building marked with bullet holes.

Arming the State Against the Nation: The Illusion of a Military Solution in Lebanon

By

Jonathan Hassine

A young man wearing a black shirt strains as he hoists a large metal pole carrying heavy black and maroon religious banners trimmed with gold Arabic calligraphy during Ashoura commemorations.

“Ashoura Is No Longer a Story We Relive Each Year”

By

Fatima Joumaa

A pencil, charcoal, and ink drawing of Yahya Sinwar, former chief of Hamas by artist Dania Wahdan.

The Will to Resist: Sinwar and the Agency Dilemma in Gaza

By

Nadine N. Sayegh

A side-view shot of a woman in holding a small Iranian flag as she walks along a city sidewalk. In the background, a man walks past a long, vibrant mural. The mural displays intricate illustrations, small Palestinian flags, and a central portrait of a mother cradling a child.

From Colonial Psychiatry to Pop Psychology: The Psychological War on Anti-Imperialism

By

Niyousha Bastani

Map documenting the 1978 invasion of the occupied border strip to the Litani. (Withaqiyyah)

Crossing the “Security Belt:” A History of the Occupied Lebanese Border Strip

By

Amani Rammal

A soldier stands between military vehicles on a street, conveying tension and readiness.

Sovereignty Without Defense: The Army, the State, and Hezbollah’s Weapons

By

Ziad Abu-Rish

A collection of illustrations of midwives and pregnant women; someone putting their ear to a pregnant abdomen, someone else carrying a baby, another person shown to be awake in bed.

Labor Amid Displacement: How Lebanon's Midwives are Carrying Expecting Mothers Through War

By

Amelia Hankins Ghadir Hamadi