The ancient desert society with its Islamic values on a collision course with modernization is portrayed here in depth for the first time.
Series Foreword Preface Acknowledgments Chronology Introduction: Land, People, and History Traditional Islamic Culture and Modernization The Extended Family and Gender Roles Cuisine and Dress Social Customs, Rites of Passage and Holidays Communication and Mass Media Artistic Expression Glossary Bibliography Index
DAVID E. LONG is a consultant on Middle East and Islamic politics and international terrorism. He was a diplomat for 30 years with the U.S. Department of State and specializes in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf.
The median age in Saudi Arabia is about 15. New mothers receive
gifts from family, friends and neighbors and in turn arrange to
have freshly-butchered mutton distributed to the poor. Choosing a
spouse is a prolonged process, and nearly always a family affair.
Long, a consultant on the Middle East with a 30-year diplomatic
career, describes everyday life in Saudi Arabia, including its
traditional elements and those undergoing change, family life,
cuisine and dress, social customs, rites of passage, holidays,
communications, mass media, and forms of artistic expression. He
points out that many regional cultures with their own ways of life
co-exist in this young nation with an ancient history.
*Art Book News Annual*
David E. Long's Culture and Customs of Saudi Arabia, geared toward
a non-specialist lay audience, gives an accessible account of
modern Saudi Arabian society and culture. Well written and easy to
read, the book reflects the author's insights and observations
acquired while living and working in the Kingdom….This is a
thoughtfully written work that provides the reader with a sensative
and well-balanced view of Saudi Arabian culture and society.
*Middle East Journal*
[T]his handy little book is a fine introduction to Saudi Arabia for
students, visiting businesspersons, expatriate workers or the
pioneer tourists the Kingdom is gradually attracting. Even longtime
foreign residents of Saudi Arabia may find it a useful way to fill
in gaps in their knowledge and con- firm their suspicions about
aspects of Saudi custom and culture. The author truly knows his
subject matter. He does not sugarcoat: He takes on topics like
terrorism and disaffected Saudi youth. But he writes to explain
differences, rather than criticize them. He offers fascinating
insights on the extended family, gender roles, the disorientation
of young people and the complex interplay of tradition and
modernization in today's Saudi Arabia….[f]or those who look beyond
the stereotypes of the western media, there is a rich and vibrant
culture and an evolving society worthy of attention and
respect.
*Saudi Aramco World*
Since the mid-twentieth century, this conservative traditional
society has wrestled with the impact of modernization and of its
great oil wealth. The author has used extensive personal contacts
there to provide up-to-date material. The volume includes a
foreword, preface, chronology, and introduction and chapters on
Land, People, and History; Traditional Islamic Culture and
Modernization; The Extended Family and Gender Roles; Cuisine and
Dress; Social Customs; Rites of Passage and Holidays; Communication
and Mass Media; and Artistic Expression.
*MultiCultural Review*
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