Table of Contents
A Message from the Author xi
The Arab Spring xii
Terrorism xiv
Looking to the Future xx
Map of the Arab World xxii
Preface xxiii
Introduction: Patterns of Change xxix
Modernization xxix
The Arab Human Development Reports xxxiv
The Effects of Change xxxiv
The Muslim View xxxvi
Islamic Education xxxvii
Facing the Future xxxviii
Chapter 1 Beliefs and Values 1
Basic Arab Values and Attitudes 3
Basic Arab Self-Perceptions 4
Chapter 2 Friends and Strangers 5
The Concept of Friendship 5
Reciprocal Favors 5
Introductions 7
Visiting Patterns 8
Business Friendships 10
Office Relations 11
Criticism 12
Intermediaries 13
Private and Public Manners 14
Chapter 3 Emotion and Logic 17
Objectivity and Subjectivity 17
Fatalism 18
What Is Reality? 18
The Human Dimension 20
Persuasion 21
Chapter 4 Getting Personal 23
Personal Questions 23
Sensitive Subjects 24
Social Distance 25
Gestures 27
Names 28
Chapter 5 Men and Women 33
Social Interaction 33
Displaying Intimacy 35
The Status of Women 35
Women's Right to Vote 38
Women in Government Positions 39
Women's Power in the Family 39
The Headscarf and the Veil 40
Polygamy 43
Traditional Gender Roles 44
Western Women 45
Looking Toward the Future 46
Chapter 6 Social Formalities and Etiquette 47
Hospitality 47
Time and Appointments 49
Discussing Business 50
Sharing Meals 51
Smoking 54
Rules of Etiquette 55
Chapter 7 The Social Structure 59
Social Classes 59
Image and Upper-Class Behavior 60
Dealing with Service People 61
Chapter 8 The Role of the Family 63
Family Loyalty and Obligations 63
Relations Among Family Members 65
Marriage 67
Divorce 68
Child-Rearing Practices 69
Talking About Your Family 70
Chapter 9 Religion and Society 73
Religious Affiliation 73
Religious Practices 73
The Religion of Islam 75
Sunni and Shia 79
The Sharia, Islamic Law 79
The Qur'an and the Bible 81
Passages from the Qur'an 84
Chapter 10 Communicating with Arabs 87
Varieties of Arabic 88
The Superiority of Arabic 89
The Prestige of Classical Arabic 90
Eloquence of Speech 91
Speech Mannerisms 93
Pleasant and Indirect Responses 94
The Power of Words 94
Euphemisms 95
The Written Word 96
Proverbs 97
Chapter 11 Islamic Fundamentalism (Islamism) 99
Definitions and Numbers 99
Jihad 104
Islamists and Muslim Society 105
Mainstream Muslims 108
Chapter 12 Anti-Americanism 111
Reasons for Arab Anger 113
Arab/Muslim and Some Western Views 113
Some American Views 116
They Hate Our Freedom, Values, Way of Life 116
They Hate Our Success 117
They Don't Know Enough About Us 117
Anti-Americanism Is an Excuse 119
We Share a Long History of Hatred 119
Arab/Muslim Views on American Culture 121
Views on Western-Style Democracy 122
Islam 124
Anti-Islam Comments 124
Defense-of-Islam Comments 125
Chapter 13 Arabs and Muslims in the West 127
Arabs in the United States 127
Muslims in the United States and Canada 128
Muslims in Europe 130
The Image of Arabs and Muslims 134
In America 134
In Europe 138
The Future of Islam in the West 142
Chapter 14 The Arab Countries, Similarities and Differences: The Arab Countries in Africa 145
The Maghrib 148
Morocco 149
Algeria 152
Tunisia 154
Libya 157
The Nile Valley 160
Egypt 160
Sudan 164
Chapter 15 The Arab Countries in the Center 169
The Levant 169
Lebanon 170
Syria 173
Palestinian Territories 176
Jordan 181
Iraq 184
Chapter 16 The Arab Countries in the Arabian Peninsula 189
Saudi Arabia 190
Yemen 194
The Arabian Gulf States (Persian Gulf) 198
Kuwait 199
Bahrain 201
Qatar 203
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) 205
Oman 207
Conclusion 211
Appendix: The Arabic Language 213
Colloquial Arabic Dialects 213
Attitudes Toward Dialects 215
The Structure of Arabic 216
Transcription 217
Arabic Writing 218
Calligraphy As an Art Form 220
Social Greetings 220
Notes 223
Bibliography 247
Index 265
About the Author 277
