Prominent Lebanese thinker and economist Georges Corm passed away on Wednesday, August 14, 2024. Corm, a leading intellectual, economist, and expert in Middle Eastern affairs, was widely respected for his profound insights and contributions. He was the recipient of the Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Award (2014-2025) in the category of Humanities and Future Studies.
Corm was selected for the 15th edition of the Al Owais Award for his comprehensive vision, analytical depth, rigorous methodology in addressing economic and social issues, and forward-looking perspectives. His innovative concepts, critical examination of established assumptions, and contributions to the field of humanities and future studies earned him this prestigious recognition.
Georges Corm was born in 1940 in Alexandria, where he spent his early years and completed his secondary education in Cairo. He later moved to Paris to attend the Institute of Higher Political Studies, followed by the Faculty of Law and Economic Sciences. Corm held a law degree and earned a PhD in constitutional law. His 1969 thesis, titled “Religious Pluralism and Governance”, explored the complex relationship between religious diversity and governance systems.
Corm served as a minister of Finance in the government of Salim Al Hoss in late 1990s. He worked as consultant at various international financial institutions and companies, such as the World Bank and European Union, as well as UN agencies.
Corm also served as a lecturer at various international institutes and universities. He authored numerous studies and articles in specialized Arab and international journals, covering topics on economic, political, and Arab affairs. His work was published in multiple languages, including Arabic, English, and French, reflecting his wide-ranging expertise and influence across diverse audiences.
He authored numerous studies and articles on economic, social and political affairs in Arab and international scholarly journals.
His notable works include:
– Economic Policy and Planning in Lebanon (in French), 1965
– Religious Pluralism and Governance, 1977
– Arab Economy Facing the Challenge, 1977
– Economic Dependency: Debt Crisis in Third World Countries from a Historical Perspective, 1980
– Studies in the Arab Cultural and Developmental Crisis, 1981
– Explosion of the Arab Mashriq: From the Nationalization of the Suez Canal to the Invasion of Lebanon, 1987
– Europe and the Arab Mashriq: From Balkanization to Lebanization, 1990
– The Future of Lebanon in the Region, 1990.
– Rebuilding Beirut: Wasted Opportunities, 1992
– Metamorphosis (a novel in French about the Lebanese War), 1992
– Conflicts and Identities in the Middle East (1919-1991)
– Arab-European Economic and Financial Relations (1960-1987), 1994
– The New International Economic Chaos, 1994
– East and West: the Legendary Chasm, 2002
– Contemporary Lebanon: History and Society
– Religion in the 21st Century, 2006
– The History of the Middle East from Ancient Times until Today, 2010
– The History of Europe and Building the Myth of the West, 2011
– Ruling the New World, 2013
– Thought and Politics in the Arab World, Limitations and Problems, 2015
– The New Question of the Orient, 2017
