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Context and Change: The Structure of Arab Society

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Psychosocial Impact of Polygamy in the Middle East

Abstract

This chapter is a review of the history of Islam as well as the different groups of people within the Arab world. The only real tie in all the fractious groups is the language in which they communicate.

Tribal allegiances are of the utmost importance, from which comes the legacy of maintaining family as the unit of strength perpetuating the strength of the whole.

The history of the Arab tribes, the onslaught of Islam and the fitnas lead to disagreements and isolationism between the various groups, closed and fearful of foreign influences.

Being a society, closed to these foreign influences raises many issues related to government, economics, and education.

The chapter continues with a description of gender roles primary to this society that affect the way of life including modes of marriage, familial hierarchy, familial obligations, and more. These familial placements have bearing on multifamily households to be discussed further.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel

    Alean Al-Krenawi Ph.D.

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  1. Alean Al-Krenawi Ph.D.
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Al-Krenawi, A. (2014). Context and Change: The Structure of Arab Society. In: Psychosocial Impact of Polygamy in the Middle East. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9375-4_2

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