Patterns of Life in the Middle East: Analyzing the Impact of Modernization

1. MIDDLE EAST: PATTERNS OF LIFE AND MORE • Objective: Students will be able to describe several aspects of life in the Middle East and analyze/evaluate the positive or negative impact of modernization within each aspect of life.

2. Closure • Write a brief justification for the group’s rating of social change and decide if the change or lack of change for the assigned aspect of life is positive or negative for the people of Middle East. Cite at least 3 pieces of evidence to support your answer. Rate amount of Social Change: (circle one for your assigned aspect of life) Groups: Least Greatest • Village Life: 1 2 3 4 5 • Nomadic/Desert Life: 1 2 3 4 5 • City Life: 1 2 3 4 5 • Family Life: 1 2 3 4 5 • Women: 1 2 3 4 5 • Children: 1 2 3 4 5

3. Village Life • Most people in small farming villages near water • Small houses –sundried bricks - timber • Self-sufficient • Farming or herding depending on water supply • Division of labor based on gender • Included mosques, stores, and houses • Did not like outsiders • Traditional economy, extended families

4. Village Changes • Changes slow • Green Revolution • Use of machines but still agriculture • New water supplies – desalination • Land reform • Some electricity • Move to cities for better life • New jobs • Money economy • Connection to outside world

5. Middle East Village

6. Nomadic Life • Highland nomads/Bedouins (desert nomads) • Areas unsuitable for farming-moved with seasonal rains • Highland nomads: in Northern Tier (present day Turkey and Iran) • Bedouins: in Arabian Peninsula “People of the Tent” • Small tightly knit tribal group • camel essential for survival • success of group depended on behavior of each individual • Gained power because they could cross the desert • Values: land, honor/honesty, hospitality, generosity

7. Bedouin Camel beauty pageant in Abu Dhabi, UAE Al Dhafra festival link CNN Bedouin Festival Article & Video http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/263949 Camel Beauty Pageant CNN Picture

8. Basic InfoVideoCamel SurvivalCamel Racing The Dromedary Camel… lives in the deserts of North Africa and the Middle East, is also known as the Arabian Camel, or Ship of the Desert, and is a single humped camel, unlike the Bactrian Camel, which has 2 humps.

9. Camels

10. Nomad Changes • Settled down • Money economy • New jobs • Losing numbers • Bedouin values remain strong

11. Bedouin CNN Bedouin Festival Article & Video Bedouins in the UAE Video 8mins

12. Bedouin Settlement

13. Camel Beauty Contest • The United Arab Emirates is hosting a large camel beauty pageant during the MazayinDhafra Camel Festival 2008, to be held in Abu Dhabi from April 2 to April 10. The now-modernized region seeks to honor its nomadic Bedouin heritage, which relied heavily upon the camel for both transportation and food production. The festival will be held in remembrance, and revolves around the camel beauty pageant, which has attracted a reported 10,000 camels from across the UAE. An expert panel of judges will single out the prize-winning camels based on features such as the size of eyes and lashes, shape and placement of the hump, and the neck length, among other standards.

14. Cities • Developed as: • Political centers • Trading centers • Religious centers • Traditional cities • High walls • Narrow streets • Homes close together • Mosques and suq

15. Traditional City Narrow Allies, Plain External Design

16. Traditional City Privacy Open space is located within the traditional house. All Houses look alike form outside – no decoration. Court yard is located inside the house.

18. Damascus

19. Suq Video

20. Traditional City ▲ Umayyad Mosque built 705-715 AD. ◄ Suq (Shopping Mall) Al-Hamiddiyyah.

21. City Changes • Urbanization – limited land; more opportunities; technology; education • Nuclear family • Strains on resources • Shantytowns • “New City” grows connected to “Old City” • Oil money = growth • Still mosque, suq, residential areas • Generational conflicts

22. Modern City Modern Dubai Video Ski Video Modern Cairo • Multi-Story apartment buildings is the new residential pattern.

23. Turkey Gecekondu

24. Turkey Gecekondu

25. Morocco

26. Cairo, Egypt City of the Dead

27. Family

28. Family Life • Patriarchal (male dominated) • Most important feature of culture • Family life guided by Qur’an • Qur’an supports authority of parents • Arranged marriages • Up to four wives • Divorce legal but looked down upon

29. Family (Children) • Obey their parents • Economic part of family • Birth is celebration • More boys go to school than girls –at mosque • Tradition is best taught through observation – given adult responsibilities • Son to follow father’s footsteps • Preserve family honor- respect male authority

30. Family Changes • Nuclear family – still most important • Generational conflicts • Breakdown of extended family • Less arranged marriages • urbanization

31. Children Changes • varies • More education and literacy – training for modern economy • Public education • Adoption of western values and culture • Generational conflicts

32. Women • Tradition made women subordinate to men---NOT religion • Gave women security • Lots of influence within the family • Lost rights as time passes because of traditions/customs NOT religion • Men managed women’s affairs • In charge of household and children • More likely to bring dishonor to the family modesty, seclusion

33. Women • Traditional Rights: • Outlawed killing baby girls • Education • Inherit property • Equal under eyes of god

34. Middle Eastern Women

35. Middle Eastern Women

36. Women Changes • Varies – based on history and tradition • Urban more freedoms – education essential • More education • Entering workforce • Some choose own spouse • Some return to tradition in response to westernization • Suq Haggling A Broad Abroad Video 6:00

37. Closure • Write a brief justification for the group’s rating of social change and decide if the change or lack of change for the assigned aspect of life is positive or negative for the people of Middle East. Cite at least 3 pieces of evidence to support your answer. Rate amount of Social Change: (circle one for your assigned aspect of life) Groups: Least Greatest • Village Life: 1 2 3 4 5 • Nomadic/Desert Life: 1 2 3 4 5 • City Life: 1 2 3 4 5 • Family Life: 1 2 3 4 5 • Women: 1 2 3 4 5 • Children: 1 2 3 4 5

38. Closure • In general have these changes been more positive or negative for the people of the Middle East.