THE INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF THE HEZBOLLAH MOVEMENT  IN THE LEBANESE POLITICAL SYSTEM: ADAPTATION MECHANISMS  AND EVOLUTION OF GUIDELINES (1982–2016)

Il&#039;ya Rodeckiy

doi:10.36906/2311-4444/26-3/03

VAK Russia 5.6.2 UDC 323.2

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THE INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF THE HEZBOLLAH MOVEMENT IN THE LEBANESE POLITICAL SYSTEM: ADAPTATION MECHANISMS AND EVOLUTION OF GUIDELINES (1982–2016)

Published in Bulletin of Nizhnevartovsk State University · Issue 3 · Pages 34–48 · Rubric: General History

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36906/2311-4444/26-3/03

Received: 17.02.2026 Accepted: 22.05.2026 Published: 25.09.2026

Authors

Il'ya Rodeckiy

ORCID

Il'ya Rodeckiy

Russian State University for the Humanities Russian Federation · Moscow

ORCID

ABSTRACT

The article provides a historical reconstruction of the transformation of Hezbollah – a major Shia Islamist actor in the Levant – tracing its evolution from a marginalized militant group into a systemic political party. The study analyzes the movement’s dynamics and identifies the mechanisms of its adaptation to the Lebanese political system between 1982 and 2016. Methodologically, the research relies on historicism, as well as historical-genetic and comparative-historical approaches, utilizing Hezbollah’s key policy documents from 1985 and 2009 as primary sources.The author argues that Hezbollah’s integration into the Lebanese political arena led to its de facto acceptance of the confessional system, driving an ideological shift toward political pragmatism and nationalism. This institutionalization was facilitated by the movement’s capacity for strategic adaptation within the existing political landscape. Based on a comparative analysis of its manifestos, the author demonstrates a profound evolution in Hezbollah’s doctrine. The religiously oriented 1985 Open Letter, which called for the establishment of an Islamic state and the overthrow of the confessional order, was superseded by the 2009 Political Document. The latter acknowledges Lebanon’s political realities, embracing concepts such as citizenship, nationhood, national interest, and consociational democracy.In practical terms, this transformation prompted Hezbollah to abandon its rejection of the state, separate its military and political wings, and directly integrate the latter into the constitutional process through parliamentary elections and tactical alliances. Concurrently, because Hezbollah did not abandon its religious (Islamic) and ideological (Islamist) foundations, but rather repurposed them to maintain its Islamic identity and legitimize its status, the author advances the thesis of the organization’s hybrid nature. The movement retains an outwardly Islamist character while being effectively guided by political pragmatism.

KEYWORDS

political system, institutionalization, adaptation mechanisms, Hezbollah, Lebanon, Levant, Middle East, Lebanese confessionalism, Islamist movements, Shia Islam, hybrid organizations, Taif Accords, confessionalism system

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GOST

Rodeckiy I. A. THE INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF THE HEZBOLLAH MOVEMENT IN THE LEBANESE POLITICAL SYSTEM: ADAPTATION MECHANISMS AND EVOLUTION OF GUIDELINES (1982–2016) // Bulletin of Nizhnevartovsk State University. 2026. no. 3. pp. 34-48. DOI: https://doi.org/10.36906/2311-4444/26-3/03. (Date of access 27.09.2026).

MLA

Il'ya Rodeckiy. "THE INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF THE HEZBOLLAH MOVEMENT IN THE LEBANESE POLITICAL SYSTEM: ADAPTATION MECHANISMS AND EVOLUTION OF GUIDELINES (1982–2016)." Bulletin of Nizhnevartovsk State University.3 (2026): 34-48. DOI: https://doi.org/10.36906/2311-4444/26-3/03.

APA

Rodeckiy I. A. (2026). THE INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF THE HEZBOLLAH MOVEMENT IN THE LEBANESE POLITICAL SYSTEM: ADAPTATION MECHANISMS AND EVOLUTION OF GUIDELINES (1982–2016). Bulletin of Nizhnevartovsk State University(3), 34-48. https://doi.org/10.36906/2311-4444/26-3/03

Chicago

Il'ya Rodeckiy. "THE INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF THE HEZBOLLAH MOVEMENT IN THE LEBANESE POLITICAL SYSTEM: ADAPTATION MECHANISMS AND EVOLUTION OF GUIDELINES (1982–2016)." Bulletin of Nizhnevartovsk State University, no. 3 (2026): 34-48. https://doi.org/10.36906/2311-4444/26-3/03.

WIKI

{{cite journal | author = Rodeckiy I. A. | title = THE INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF THE HEZBOLLAH MOVEMENT IN THE LEBANESE POLITICAL SYSTEM: ADAPTATION MECHANISMS AND EVOLUTION OF GUIDELINES (1982–2016) | journal = Bulletin of Nizhnevartovsk State University | year = 2026 | issue = 3 | pages = 34-48 | doi = 10.36906/2311-4444/26-3/03 }}

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THE INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF THE HEZBOLLAH MOVEMENT IN THE LEBANESE POLITICAL SYSTEM: ADAPTATION MECHANISMS AND EVOLUTION OF GUIDELINES (1982–2016)

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