Ethnography: Definition, Methods, History, and Examples

Identification of the (Sub) Culture 

Arabs world is a mixture of a different race, religion, ethnic background, and social status. Most of the Arabs are Muslims, specifically those I observed. Arabs live in different cities and rural areas. Arabs originated from Asia and traveled all over other continents. Arabs have interacted with the rest of the world, forcing some aspects of their culture to start to change. Some elements of Arabic culture, such as gender and family dynamics, have not been subjected to change despite the interaction. Family lies in the heart of an Arab within their society. According to the Arabic laws, they have indicated that family is the basic unit of the Arabic nation. Family is the main foundation of many societies globally. Just like other communities, every individual has to pass and spend some time with the family. For the Arabs most of their life lessons they learn from the family members and not school. The Arabic family is extended to cousins, uncles, and the grandparents. 

Review of Previous Research 

In Barakat's article, The Arab World, we are explained that the family is the center of social organization in all the "patterns of living." According to Barakat, families are the principal institution where people are taught their religion, class, and cultural affiliation (Barakat, & Milton, 2015). Prof.Yahya El-Haddad of Bahrain University helps to develop this point further, Major Trends Affecting Families In The Gulf Countries, she states that "Rural-urban migration has played, and is still playing, a significant role in urban transformations in most Arab Gulf cities...Changes are also affecting the family and the individual in the context of the current urban transformation." He explained that Arab families are to experience an incredible amount of change in their family structures as they begin to migrate from rural villages to industrialized cities (Kassem, & Al-Muftah, 2016). 

Why This Group Was Selected 

There are several reasons why I chose to research on the Ethnography of the Arabs and their culture. Some of the reasons include; first, Arabs are the multi-ethnic community. It is interesting to find out more about the different communities and their cultures. Another reason is the nature of Arab families and how they operate. Arabic leadership is also an interesting subject and its structure. 

Expectations 

During the research and after the research, I expect to understand different cultural practices of Arabs. Another hope is to get to know why Arabs communities' value family that much compared to other cities. The final expectation is to understand the relevant changes that have affected the Arabic culture. 

Culture Shock 

During my research in Arabic communities in Salt Lake City, Utah, I came to a cross several ‘Cultural Shock.' Firstly, the women in the Salt Lake City rarely walk in the streets and drive. In Utah, it is not easy to communicate to a woman who does not know you, but men could easily approach you. Salt Lake City suspects everybody who is not an Arab. I assimilated this after the police looked at my passport photo and looked at my hair (Geiger, 2013). This made me feel much wired. In Salt Lake City, women are not allowed to do work and even contribute their opinion on any family meeting. This makes women feel inferior compared to women in other parts of the world. The women are not even allowed to be seen despite even after wearing a salwar kameez and wore a headscarf. 

Methods 

Location of research (research site) 

The research was conducted in Arabic communities located in Salt Lake City, Utah. I visited some parts of the states during my vacation to do the research. 

Description of multiple methods 

The techniques I used for the research was through the direct view of the behavior of the Arabs. During the tour and the research period, I watched how the Arabs behaved and conducted their normal daily operations. Another method was through informal interviews. There are people I used to meet on the street and ask random questions about their culture as Arabs. I once conducted a formal interview when requested a family to interview their family structure and leadership (Cammett, 2011) . The interview was an oral interview where I could ask random questions to the family members. The final method I used to collect data was fieldwork. I attended some of the Arab festivals such as the ‘Awafi' festival in the UAE to collect more information 

Number of visits, number of hours 

I visited different families once a week for the interview for one month. The interviews could run for only two hours before the family could continue with their daily activities. For the ‘Awafi' festivals I attended only once, and I could collect the information I needed on Arab culture. 

Body 

Arabs speak a different version of the Arabic language. The Arabic language is divided into three groups, which are colloquial Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic, and Classical Arabic. Quran was written in Classical Arabic language. The modern standard Arabic is the language spoken by the Arabs worldwide. MSA is the simple version of the Arabic language. 

The economic practices in the Arabic world are obligated to the family financial status. Most of Arabs are business people owning big companies globally and locally. More than 79% of business in Salt Lake City and other Arab states are owed, managed, and operated by specific family members (Campante, & Chor, 2012). The elders and men have an influence on the juniors and women over their economic activities. Mostly the women are only entitled to inherit family properties according to the Islamic laws. 

Leadership in Salt Lake City is based onthe family resource. The Arabs do not associate more with the social services to the people. Therefore it's not the work of the government to protect the citizens. In case when an older person is sick, it's their younger family members who will take care of them. In Arab communities, the government can only provide government services to build family relationships (Randeree, & Ghaffar 2012). The family is the crucial network for providing a member with a link to politics. For one to be politicians, they have to be supported by the family members first before the public supports you. Therefore, in Salt Lake City, they follow the patriarchal structure, which they favor very much. 

In Arab communities, it is not usual for either the woman or man to select their spouse. In case it happens, it is treated as a disrespect to the parents more so the father. When the father is dead, the duties are handed to the mother of the eldest sibling. The man has a right to demand his father to provide him with a wife if he feels like it is getting late (Zalan, et al., 2016). Most preferred wife in Arabic society is the father's brother's daughter to keep the family together. Formal negotiations begin after the girl has been identified. After marriage, the man is the head, and the wife has to be submissive to the husband. In case the marriage does not work, the woman is allowed to go back and stay with the brother. 

Arab family consists of the father, mother, children, and the elderly. Each family member has a role to play. The father is the head of the family. He provides the financial needs of the family. The father is the protector of the wife and the children, according to Koran. Due to the change in society, the wife can provide for the family, but the father has the final say. The women's roles stay at home and take care of the children. The children's purpose is to follow whatever the parents tell them. The Elderly are there to be consulted in case of serious matters. 

Salt Lake City is believed to be Islamic states. The Arabs are 99% Muslims since ancient times (Gogonas, 2012). Islam in the Arabs is divided into Sunnis and Shiites. The Sunnis are the majority in the northern part of Salt Lake City and other parts of Utah. Apart from the two, there are Druze, Alawites, and Sufis. 

Conclusion 

I had a very different experience visiting Salt Lake City. As much as the environment in beautiful, they do not treat you well because you are mot a family member. During the research, it was difficult to get access to other areas since they consider the area to be privately reserved for Arabs only. Next time I will visit the Arab community, I will need to accompany myself with a tour guide who is an Arab. This will make it easier to access some areas. Reflecting on the lives of the Arabs, it fully depends on the family from politics to other parts of the society. I learned that not all communities treat women with the same dignity. In the Arab country, the women are there to take care of the children. The previous works done by the researchers like Baraket will need to be updated due to change in time. They used observation to collect most of their information. 

References 

Barakat, S., & Milton, S. (2015). Houses of wisdom matter: The responsibility to protect and rebuild higher education in the Arab world.  Brookings Doha Center . 

Cammett, M. C. (2011). Partisan activism and access to welfare services in Lebanon Studies in Comparative International Development. 46 70 – 97

Campante, F. R., & Chor, D. (2012). Why was the Arab world poised for revolution? Schooling, economic opportunities, and the Arab Spring.  Journal of Economic Perspectives ,  26 (2), 167-88. 

Geiger, B. (2013). Female Arab Students' Experience of Acculturation and Cultural Diversity upon Accessing Higher Education in the Northern Galilee-Israel.  International Journal of Higher Education ,  2 (3), 91-106. 

Kassem, L. M., & Al-Muftah, E. (2016). The Qatari family at the intersection of policies. In  Policy-Making in a Transformative State  (pp. 213-239). Palgrave Macmillan, London. 

Gogonas, N. (2012). Religion as a core value in language maintenance: Arabic speakers in Greece.  International Migration ,  50 (2), 113-129. 

Sharkia, R., Mahajnah, M., Athamny, E., Khatib, M., Sheikh-Muhammad, A., & Zalan, A. (2016). Changes in marriage patterns among the Arab community in Israel over a 60-year period.  Journal of biosocial science ,  48 (2), 283-287. 

Randeree, K., & Ghaffar Chaudhry, A. (2012). Leadership–style, satisfaction and commitment: An exploration in the United Arab Emirates' construction sector.  Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management ,  19 (1), 61-85.