The Meaning of the Marital Relationship in the Lives of Three Generations of Bedouin Women

Abstract

Since Israel’s establishment in 1948, its Bedouin population has undergone many changes—from a traditional society to a modern one and from a nomadic life to permanent settlement—that have greatly affected the marital relationship. This is a qualitative study, using a narrative paradigm, of perceptions of the marital relationship in three generations of women in10 Bedouin families. An interpretive analysis of their life story interviews revealed differences and some similarities between one generation and the next. The first-generation women spoke in general about the woman’s role in the relationship and the man’s role, which was to defend, protect, and support the woman. In the two later generations, the women took upon themselves the overall responsibility for the marriage’s success. In the second generation, the marriage relied primarily on the behavior of the woman, whose role was to nurture the relationship and her husband’s reputation. The third generation saw the relationship as an escape from their suffocating birth family, a warm environment in which to rear children, and a way of meeting many emotional and physical needs. Although their expectations were often not realized, this generation, too, strove to preserve the relationship. None of the interviewees mentioned polygyny, although it is widespread among Israel’s Bedouins. And despite the intergenerational differences, there were some constants: “Women’s wisdom,” the key factor appearing in each generation, enabled Bedouin women to adapt to their marital lives and to preserve Bedouin culture.

The challenges of young Bedouin men living in a changing society.

“…Mutuality is important in the relations between the two groups: When the minority group experiences discrimination, its members are likely to reject close involvement with the majority group and become more oriented toward their own ethnic group, or they may become confused and ambivalent regarding their involvement. However, when they are not discriminated against, they view the majority group with the same respect that is accorded them (Allassad Alhuzail, 2022; Greenfield, 2016).…”

“…In recent decades, the abrogation of their rights, deprivation, and social marginalization (Yiftachel et al, 2016) has sparked political and religious antistate activism (Rubin, 2017). And although the Bedouins are citizens of Israel, since the passage in 2018 of the Basic Law: Israel as the Nation-State of the Jewish People they have self-identified as Palestinians (Allassad Alhuzail, 2022).…”

The meaning of leadership for educated young bedouin men

“…Ever since the reign of the Ottoman Empire, Bedouin society has been tribal, traditional, and nomadic (Allassad Alhuzail, 2016; Franz, 2011). The larger the tribe the more powerful it appears in relation to the other tribes.…”

Assessing professional integration of clients’ religion and spirituality beliefs in practice

“…In recent years, the Arab-Muslim population has experienced growing religiosity within its various communities, manifested in the large number of mosques built. For example, the Bedouins, once a nomadic people governed by tradition, are now deeply connected to Islam (Allassad Alhuzail, 2016).…”