Sari Hanafi

Sari Hanafi, a sociologist and director at the American University of Beirut, critiques how proclaimed liberal values often coexist with illiberal acts. He unpacks symbolic liberalism and its role in polarization. He calls for a dialogical turn: expanding public reason, reintegrating community, and practical reforms to revive genuine conversation across differences.

Sari Hanafi, Professor of Sociology and Director at AUB, and former ISA president, critiques how proclaimed liberal values can become politically illiberal. He outlines symbolic liberalism, its role in inflating rights and narrowing dialogue, and argues for a dialogical turn that reintroduces neighbor, shared goods, religious language, and practical reforms to rebuild common civic space.

Sari Hanafi, a sociologist and director at the American University of Beirut, challenges the gap between professed liberal values and illiberal practices. He introduces symbolic liberalism and urges a shift toward dialogical sociology. The conversation covers rights inflation, religion in public reason, community-focused reforms, and practical policies to rebuild genuine public debate.