Customary Laws and Social Order in Arab Society: Socio-Anthropological Field Studies in Egypt

This book presents the findings of socio-anthropological field studies on customary laws and social order in Egypt. The first chapter presents comprehensive documentation of Al Awayid , the customary laws of the Awlad Ali tribes, which prevail and govern political, kinship, and economic relations in the tribal semi-Bedouins and rural communities in the western desert and the Al Beheira governorate. It also traces changes in these laws that have occurred during the last forty years as a result of ecological, demographic, economic, cultural, and administrative changes in the region.The chapters which follow concentrate on such specific and relevant subjects as customary laws; criminal responsibility judgments and peaceful relations; women’s rights in tribal communities; economic development and the Arab family; Arabic writings on homosexuality and lesbianism; youth and innovation in rural culture; and violence in contemporary societies. The book concludes with a chapter on the 2013 Egyptian rebellion as a result of deviation in the Arab Spring.