Power, Sect and State in Syria: The Politics of Marriage and Identity Amongst the Druze Contributor(s): Kastrinou, A. Maria a. (Author) |
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ISBN: 1784532207 ISBN-13: 9781784532208 Publisher: I. B. Tauris & Company OUR PRICE: $173.25 Product Type: Hardcover Published: March 2016 |
Additional Information |
BISAC Categories: - Social Science | Islamic Studies - Social Science | Ethnic Studies - General - Social Science | Sociology - Marriage & Family |
Dewey: 305.697 |
Series: Library of Modern Middle East Studies |
Physical Information: 1" H x 5.5" W x 8.6" (1.05 lbs) 288 pages |
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
Publisher Description: The Syrian state's rhetoric of Arab nationalism left little room for the official recognition of minority identities in pre-war Syria. Yet in practice, the state continually engaged with the Druze and other minorities to reinforce its legitimacy, often through cultural policy. Uncovering this neglected aspect of pre-war Syrian politics, Kastrinou explores the cultural politics of marriage in Syria, primarily among the Druze, to reveal how practical rituals of marriage inform sectarian and national identity formation.Challenging the assumed inherence of sectarianism and Druze endogamy, the book provides an historical and ethnographic account of political power and its relation to social control in Syria. It demonstrates the centrality of the body to Druze cosmology and how ritual performances of birth, marriage and death maintain and negotiate sectarian cohesion. Connecting these struggles to national and international politics, Kastrinou examines how both the Syrian government and the European Union have sponsored marriage-themed dance performances in Syria, each leveraging its cultural importance to legitimise their own policy goals. |
Contributor Bio(s): Kastrinou, A. Maria a.: - A. Maria A. Kastrinou is a Lecturer in Social Anthropology at Brunel University London. She holds a PhD in Anthropology from Durham University and has conducted long-term fieldwork in Syria. Her research has been published in the journals History and Anthropology and Mediterranean Politics. |