Synopses & Reviews
"[A] timely, well-researched and written analysis of popular and private life that is too often underestimated or overlooked yet which constitutes the majority of human existence in a region too often viewed from the narrow constraints of the state and its unrepresentative elites." --John Entelis
"The broadening of Islamic studies (or regional studies on Islam) to include study of ordinary people, their daily lives, and popular cultures has been long overdue. [An] extremely interesting and innovative study which, in its own way, successfully challenges the pervasive misperception of the Middle East simply as a conflict-prone region." --Journal of Islamic Studies
"... provides useful background reading for introductory courses to everyday history of the Middle East." --Journal of Palestine Studies
"presents a grassroots look at what it is like to actually live in the Muslim Middle East... from Aghanistan and Iran to Morocco. [It] shows how religion is an important part, but not the sole part, of these people's lives." --Middle East Insight
"This book is a welcome addition to the literature...." --The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences
Focusing on the experiences of ordinary men, women, and children from across the Middle East, from Iran and Afghanistan in the east to Morocco in the west, the 35 stories, poems, and essays collected in this anthology vividly convey an intimate sense of life in the Middle East today. Newly revised and updated to reflect recent changes in Middle East politics and society, this anthology will engage students and scholars of this vast and complex region.
Contributors include Lila Abu-Lughod, Jon W. Anderson, Walter Armbrust, Bishara Bahbah, Brian Barber, Anne H. Betteridge, Annabelle Boucher, Donna Lee Bowen, Steven C. Caton, Dawn Chatty, Driss Chraibi, Susan Shaefer Davis, Kevin Dwyer, Evelyn A. Early, Christine Eickelman, Dale Eickelman, Elizabeth Fernea, Angel Foster, Erika Friedl, Steve Howard, Michael E. Jansen, Margaret Mills, Ziba Mir-Hosseini, Emily Nasrallah, Kristina Nelson, Susan Ossman, Tayib Salih, Diane Singerman, Susan Slyomovics, Jenny White, and Quintan Wiktorowicz.
Synopsis
The substantially revised ad updated third edition of Everyday Life in the Muslim Middle East focuses n the experiences of ordinary men, women, and children from the region. Readers will gain a grassroots apprecation of Middle East life, culture, and society that recognizes the impact of wars and uprisings as well as changes to Islamic practice due to advances in technology. It also explores the influence of social media on politics and labor relations and the changing status of women, family values, marriage, childrearing, gender, and gay rights. This dynamic and imaginative volume continues to provide a rich resource for understanding contemporary Muslim culture in the Middle East.
About the Author
Donna Lee Bowen is Professor of Political Science and Near Eastern Studies at Brigham Young University.
Evelyn A. Early, anthropologist and consultant, is a former senior foreign service office.
Becky Schulthies is Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Rutgers University.
Table of Contents
Preliminary Table of Contents:
Introduction
Part 1: Generations and Life Passages
Introduction
1. Traditional Songs from Boir Ahmad Erika Friedl
2. Growing Up in Morocco Susan Shaefer Davis
3. Explosion Emily Nasrallah
4. 'Of the Dust and the Wind': Arranged Marriage in Afghanistan Margaret Mills
5. Two Weddings Jenny White
6. Editing al-Fajr: A Palestinian Newspaper in Jerusalem Bishara Bahbah
7. The Son's Return Driss Chraibi
8. The Funeral Driss Chraibi
Part 2: Gender Relations
Introduction
9. Sexuality and Sexual Health of Young Tunisian Women Angel Foster
10. A Thorny Side of Marriage in Iran Erika Friedl
11. Harasiis Marriage, Divorce and Companionship Dawn Chatty
12. Oil, Fertility and Women's Status in Oman Christine Eickelman
13. Law Stories Ziba Mir-Hosseini
14. The Veiled Revolution Elizabeth Fernea
Part 3: Home, Community, and Work
Introduction
15. The Doum Tree of Wad Hamid Tayeb Salih
16. Abortion and the Ethics of Life Donna Lee Bowen
17. Worlds of Beauty in Morocco Susan Ossman
18. Chalk and Dust: Teachers' Lives in Rural Sudan Steve Howard
19. Networking in Cairo Diane Singerman
20. Politics, Politics, and More Politics: Youth Life Experience in the Gaza Strip Brian Barber
21. Islamist Activism in Jordan Quintan Wiktorowicz
Part 4: Popular Expression of Religion
Introduction
22. Inside the Islamic Reformation Dale Eickelman
23. The Sound of the Divine in Daily Life Kristina Nelson
24. Abu Illya and Zakat Donna Lee Bowen
25. An American Woman on the Hajj Michael E. Jansen
26. Abdul Qadar and the Sheep of `Aid al-Adha Donna Lee Bowen
27. Women and Shrines in Shiraz Anne H. Betteridge
28. Transmission of Sunni Islamic Knowledge in Syria Annabelle Boucher
29. Islam's New Interpreters Jon W. Anderson
Part 5: Performance and Entertainment
Introduction
30. Syrian Television Drama: Permitted Political Discourse Evelyn A. Early
31. Christmatizing Ramadan Walter Armbrust
32. Moroccan Film-making: A Long Voyage through the Straits of Paradox Kevin Dwyer
33. Prison Literature and Human Rights Susan Slyomovics
34. "To Mount at-Tiyal He Declared": Some Poetry from the Yemeni Civil War Steven C. Caton
35. Sad Songs of the Western Desert Lila Abu-Lughod
Glossary
Selected Readings
Contributors
Index