...ARAB CUSTOMS AND CULTURE All Arabs share basic beliefs and values that cross national and social class boundaries. Social attitudes have remained constant because Arab society is more conservative and demands conformity from its members. It is important for Western observers to be able to identify and distinguish these cultural patterns from individual behaviors. Although Iraq is a secular country, the traditional Islamic culture predominates, with Qur’anic Law playing an active role in the day-to-day life in the country. ARAB WORLD VIEW: An Arab worldview is based upon six concepts: atomism, faith, wish versus reality, justice and equality, paranoia and the importance of family over self: · Atomism. Arabs tend to see the world and events as isolated incidents, snapshots, and particular moments in time. This is a key psychological feature of Arab culture. Westerners look for unifying concepts whereas Arabs focus on parts, rather than on the whole. It also means the Western concept of cause and effect is rarely accepted by Arabs who may not necessarily see a unifying link between events. They do, however, maintain a long-term memory over actions and events. It is important to point out that it is memory, not necessarily history that is important. · Deep belief in God. Arabs usually believe that many, if not all, things in life are controlled by the will of God (fate) rather than by human beings. What might appear as fatalism initially is more deeply...
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...Name Instructor Course Date Stereotypes in Mass Media Mass media has become a main source of popular culture in modern society. The media does not only entertain or feed information to the audience, but also transfers the beliefs, values and stereotypes of the society resulting to a change in the order of life in society (Wells 514). According to Althusser, families, schools and religions play a crucial role of ideological state apparatuses. Such institutions indoctrinate and transfer the ideologies of society into the minds of people in the society in order to control them. However, in modern society, the media is turning out to be yet another apparatus for controlling the minds of people. To most people, the pieces of art such as movies, magazines, documentaries and music in the media seem unique. However, all these products are no different from each other. The content in the media reflects the life of people in such a way that people would comprehend. Such a reflection occurs through reproduction of stereotypes which impacts profoundly on life in society (Wells 514). This paper examines the stereotypes mass media in more detail by considering the works of Betye Saar, the use of the concept in advertising and images in popular culture such as Aunt Jemima among others. The Liberation of Aunt Jemima Betye Saar is one of the few women who challenged the male artists’ dominance in the museum and gallery spaces in the 1970s. Some organizations such...
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...most heated, widely discussed and controversial topic in gender and social change with respect to a cultural context is the state of women in the Middle East and the role that religion plays as a primary source for further derived influences of politics, economics, legal and family affairs to the social situation as a whole. This social stratosphere of revolving and intricate subjects of change and progression represent a multitude of conflicting ideologies, theories and realities. The media serves as an informational anchor, particularly in its portrayal of social situations and change, primarily divided into Western and Eastern media. The broader subject at hand is gender and social change in the Middle East, but specifically, how women, as the primary subject of the gender discussion, and Islam, as the foremost engine to drive the social scene across the Middle Eastern peninsula co-exist to create an unprecedented dynamic in the Middle East. This research paper will attempt to progressively reveal and discuss related subjects in order to create a transitional framework for a relevant understanding of the gender and social dynamic of the Middle East. As an outline, this paper will begin by briefly discussing the global role of women from a gender and sexuality perspective. It will then analyze how such roles are portrayed and what movements exist in order to effect the global perception. More specifically, a discussion on the progress made by Middle Eastern women in terms...
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...Challenges Facing Arab Families A family in the Arab world can be defined as the basic socioeconomic unit that influences the society as a whole. Families in the Arab society are interconnected and closely integrated in so many ways, yet in recent years changes were significant and challenges caused a movement away from the traditional family structure. According to Barakat’s article, families “evolved into a patriarchal, pyramidally, hierarchical and extended institution”(97). A family is therefore the central point through which religion and culture is inherited across generations. When studying the challenges and changes undergone by families, one should consider the patterns of marriage and divorce, the family structure, family roles, and even external economic and social factors. It has been found that “recent changes in family structure have contributed to the democratization of husband wife and father-children relationship” (Barakat, 102). Women are now seen as active members in the labor force and in the society; hence their role as solely the caretakers of children is less strictly applied. A woman has a more profound position as a partner and decision maker, therefore moving towards equality with men. According to Haddad, “the wife now has a say in the living conditions of her family and shares in decision making” (7). The traditional concept of extended family is now being replaced with the growing trend towards forming a nuclear family, due to urbanization, globalization...
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...and oral abilities tend not to be adequate. I had to study hard to improve my English, so that I can understand the people and the language more. Since I came to America, I made great progress not only foreign language but also adaptive capacity. I believe the most significant part of my life is when I was able to cope with the social differences I faced in two different countries. The most important social differences that affected me and made me who I am today are family, religion, and gender equality. Family is one of the most important parts of Arab culture. Westerners define their family as their immediate relatives such as parents, siblings, and children. Arabs, on the other hand, define family as their extended or tribal relations such as parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, great aunts and uncles, cousins, nephews and nieces, children, etc. Arabs consider themselves as part of "the tribe", rather than as individuals. Arab families also...
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...As a third generation Arab immigrant Nasar and learned from his father the “manipulation of firearms, his love of horses and the mastery of high-flying birds of prey” but also learnt the “good arts of valour and prudence.” His learnt prudence or common sense from his Arab father would in fact be his downfall, as it was completely incompatible with the contextually correct common sense it which it was perfectly logical to murder a man on the premise of regaining your sisters lost virginity and honour. This lack of understanding as a foreigner lead to him to react to the news that the Vicario brothers were waiting to kill him not with panic but rather the “bewilderment of innocence,” exemplifying his naivety towards the Hispanic psyche and how he did not contemplate the danger to himself but was confused as to why he deserved it. His peaceful and prudent nature can also observed in his reluctance to engage in violence only ever wearing it in the country and never walked into town armed, a practice established by his father and he only ever perceived guns as a safety measure not needed in the civilised town. However, he can be seen to have realised his fateful disposition in his dying moments as he began laughing. Having realised the error in his judgement he still holds onto his “usual good bearing” a product of...
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...Arab Springs Women’s Rights In Arabian countries woman have always played a particular role. This role was very sexist and stereotypical in that they were just made to clean and cook. Women were very uneducated in these Middle East countries, and often had children at a young age. They were sexually harassed. This “Arab spring” or “awakening” was the first time these women had a chance to do more. They were looking for a change. This happened because these countries were currently run by a dictator. For these people to redefine themselves as a country as a whole they need to also redefine the way they treat women. When women began to become more educated it meant that they stayed in school longer and did not have children so early. This particular change was not only beneficial to them because they were now more educated but they were also healthier. This trend could then follow down and their children were also now more educated and healthier. As women became more educated you began to see more women involved in politics and one can now see women being treated more equal to men. Women being involved in politics did have a negative side also. Since this was something of a new trend women were competing so hard against one another to see who was the most authentic of a woman they forgot what their goals were as a politician. They also left men out of the picture which once again leads to being unstable as a whole. This event was important from an international/cultural perspective...
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...Children of the New World: Acting out “The role of Algerian women in their own society has rarely been what it has seemed” (Heggoy 1). Prior to the Algerian war, women in Algerian society were under patriarchal rule and, under such rule, were expected to meet certain expectations. Among other rules and regulations, Algerian women were prohibited from being outside their home unaccompanied and were required to keep themselves heavily “veiled” at all times. They were not to question the authority of the Algerian men, especially the ones in their family. Despite these limitations, Algerian women found a place in the revolution. Although it sometimes meant defying their status quo as women in Algerian society, women used the resources and means they had to make a contribution, some small and some large, to the resistance. In Children of the New World, Assia Djebar explores the actions taken by various women in the hopes of aiding the nationals in their fight against colonization. Her “choice of female characters range from traditional housewives like Amna and Cherifa to educated, more seemingly ‘modern’ women’” like Hassiba. Such characters contribute to “ what Djebar sees as the more fundamental revolution of undoing patriarchal norms” (Channah 1). The women in Djebar’s Children of the New World make a wide range of contributions to the Algerian fight for independence. In her novel, Djebar “shows the awakening of a new nation and in people by describing the growing awareness of several...
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...are given more roles and responsibilities for example The Church of England has allowed women to be become priest since 1992. But in everyday life female followers of world religious leaders are often significantly more limited than males with regards to where they can go with whom they may associate. In this essay I am going to examine both views and examine whether women are no longer oppressed by religion. Everybody focuses to Muslim women worldwide as oppressed, more specifically the Muslim women in Afghanistan. People often fail to distinguish between culture and religion, two things that are completely different, In fact, Islam condemns oppression of any kind where it is towards a women or in general. Sometimes, people see covered Muslim women and they think oppression. This is wrong. Muslim woman are not oppressed, but they are liberated. This is because they are no longer valued for something material such as their good looks or she shape of her body. They compel others to judge her for her intelligence, kindness, honesty and personality. Therefore, people judge her for who she actually is. Women cover their hair to be modest. When they wear loose clothes, they are trying to be modest. In fact, nuns cover their hair out of modesty. Also, when we see the frequent pictures of the Virgin Mary, she is covering her hair out of modesty as well. Therefore, Muslim women are doing the exact same thing as righteous Christian Women. The two great roles a woman plays in life...
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...Women in the Middle East 1. Introduction 2. Before Islam 3. After Islam 4. Marriage 5. Education 6. Modern Day -Examples from different Arab countries -Arab Spring 7. What’s next? 8. Citations 1. Introduction Over the course of history, women in the Middle East, not so much different than around the world, haven’t been attaining all their full rights and haven’t been quite satisfied with the status of gender equality that the world continues to lack. The Middle East has its more than enough share with this ever-continuing phenomenon. The situation changes with every passing day, as it is affected by our effervescently changing political and social status. Religion has played an enormous role in the matter, as did politics, economy, and social standards. Women’s rights have increased and decreased soon before it was satisfactory enough. This continues and will continue to happen until women find themselves satisfied in our men-driven society. In order for one to judge the current and possible future status, we must understand the past and how women’s rights evolved to become where it is right now. 2. Before Islam Women before the dawn of Islam had practically no legal status in opposition to the traditional and standard tribal laws. Their own fathers sold them to their husbands or legal guardians; they had no choice in the matter and could be left at anytime according to the spouse’s will. They had no private property or...
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...It is no secret that females in developing countries are often unable to receive a proper education. With a lack of education comes unexpected risks, including reduced health, a decline in family income, and even a higher risk of trafficking and exploitation ("Girls' and Women's Education - Expertise - International - World Education, Inc."). For many women in underdeveloped countries such as Arab and Afghanistan, attempting to achieve an education could put their lives at risk. Two women, Laura Boushnak, and Shabana Basij-Rasikh discuss this issue in two different TED talk videos. In the first, Basij-Rasikh discusses how Afghan women should be able to earn a proper education, and tells the story of how her father fought for her to have that....
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...The fact that Shakespeare’s plays have had such an impact on the world draws a particular idea of the nature that the plays adopt depending on the region in which they are being treated. When a particular focus is placed on viewing Shakespeare in the Arab world, many interesting points can be discovered. Although the exact period in which Shakespeare’s plays began to resonate in the Arab world is not certain, it is noted that in the early 19th century, poets and writers began to study and translate his plays (Litvin, Hamlet's Arab Journey,p17). The way in which writers such as Sulayman Al-Bassam have altered aspects of Shakespeare’s plays to make critiques and observations about their own culture bring to light just how important the plays are on a world stage. Although William Shakespeare has evidently made a massive contribution to English theatre, it is also true that his work has played an integral cultural role in regions such as the Arab World. By examining various aspects of the Arabic theatre, it will be made evident that Shakespeare has played a very important role in artistic Arabic theatre...
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...of Muslim Arab women is predominantly exotic, passive, veiled, and subjugated victim-women; they are represented as impersonal objects of stereotypes that steadily perpetuate cultural prejudices. This view is based and started, in part, by a number of “travellers’ stories” written by European visitors to Ottoman territories during the 17th 18th and 19th century. The institution of the harem was, without a doubt, one of the most overstated and misinterpreted aspects of the 19th century Middle East. Western society often viewed and described the East in sexual terms. When harems were referred by men travellers, women’s voices were not present or at worse, they were filtered by Western men imagination and prejudices. In addition, when female voices are highlighted in women traveler’s writings, during the Victorian Era, are...
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...Hillary Clinton on the Arab Israel conflict Hillary Clinton is the former First Lady , and Secretary of State of USA. Clinton has stated that she is "an emphatic, unwavering supporter of Israel's safety and security." She had been playing an important role in the Arab-Israeli conflict. The Arab-Israeli conflict is mainly about the land of Palestine, which is now Israel for the most part. Many Holocaust survivors run off to Palestine after the WWII end. They want to claim Palestine their homeland and build an only-Jewish country. But the some Arabs, who are Muslims, had been in the Palestinian territory for several decades, and none of them want to lose their home. On the other hand, the Jewish people said that this land originally belongs to them so they have the right to claim it themselves. The UN and US have been trying to settle the peace between these two ethnic groups, and it did not go well. Mrs. Clinton said that she "show[s] solidarity and support for Israel", because Israel people are standing for "American values."...
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...Relationship between Leadership Style and Glass Ceiling Effect in connection with women career 14 RESEARCH METHODOLGY AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUE 16 ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS OF THE RESEARCH: 17 Section 1: Leadership Style 17 Section 2: Perceived Glass Ceiling Effect in context of CEDARS 20 Section3: Women Career Pathways 24 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 29 REFERENCES 31 TABLE OF FIGURES Figure 1: Authoritarian Leadership style 16 Figure 2: Democratic Leadership style questionnaire 17 Figure 3: Laissez - Faire Leadership style questionnaire 18 Figure 4: Perceived glass ceiling effect 19 Figure 5: Women career pathways survey 1 23 Figure 6:Women career pathways survey 2 23 INTRODUCTION Problem statement The increasing role of women in management couldn’t be denied as obvious the leadership traits they exhibit worldwide are exemplary but the existence of...
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