Preserving Arab Identity in the Process of Globalization

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Preserving Arab Identity in the Process of Globalization

By Thomas G. Spearman

     Raphael Patai examined Arab culture from many different perspectives in his book The Arab Mind, revealing much about their value systems, behaviors, beliefs, ethos, and ability to deal with westernization within the context of globalization.  Its treatment was both objective and in-depth as it focused on the issues concerning Arab civilization.  Can they co-exist with the West in a way that is functional without losing their cultural identity?  Will the constants of their Islamic values suffer assimilation or outright disintegration from Western influences? This discussion will focus on these questions using Patai’s insight and expertise.  It will look at the challenges, both internal and external, faced by Arabs and how it might impact their culture and, on a larger scale, the process of globalization.  The real key to understanding the region, as Patai clearly stated, is getting to know the Arabs the way they see themselves.  The expression of the Arab collective mind reveals the complexity of their culture.  By understanding the modalities of their basic personality, the real picture emerges, which is the starting point of Patai’s book.

     Arabs, without question, make up a distinctive culture whose past, both Islamic and pre-Islamic, form the basis of their sociocultural aggregate.  As far back as 800 BC Bedouin societies sprung up, thus forming the substratum of their varied, but homogenous, culture. To understand the Arab “mind,” as Patai pointed out, certain assumptions concerning the developmental processes should be made. These include psychological imprinting occurring early in life, culturally patterned child rearing techniques, and commonalties of experience. All of these influences, to a greater or lesser extent, form the baseline of the Arab personality.  

     In the child-rearing process, the value put on male-born children points to the domination of males within the cultural strata.  A converse value is put on female-born children. Through culturally patterned child rearing techniques their positions are reinforced as subordinate and servile to that of males.  There may be over 100 million Arabs, but only half of those count when it comes to making contributions to their society. When virtually half of the Arab population is isolated in such a fashion, it has a tremendous impact on their culture being able to process outside influences.  Having said that, females are looked upon as objects of propagation to be confined within the tightly woven family structure.  In essence, they are considered the property of the male head-of-household, which, by any standard of societal norms, separates and excludes them to a diminutive subset within their society. In the realm of sexual norms, the idea of female exclusivity is carried to an extreme.  

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     According to Bedouin ethos a tremendous value is put on family honor.  Nothing can shame or taint that honor more than sexual infidelity by a female member.  Punishment is extreme, sometimes leading to punishment of death. Given the absoluteness placed on family honor and chastity of females in general, it is no wonder the rules regarding contact between the sexes are so strict.  Furthermore, this is the main reason why female circumcision, including clitoridectomy, is practiced. By comparison, male circumcision, usually performed in the young teen years, is considered a rite of passage—as a proof of courage.  These practices ...

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