Middle East Politics
Dr. Houman A. Sadri
Professor of International Relations
Department of Political Science
University of Central Florida
Contact Information:
e-mail: Houman.Sadri@ucf.edu
phone: (407) 823-6023
Group, Class, & Family
I. INTRODUCTION
II. GROUP STRUCTURE
III. CLASS STRUCTURE
IV. CONCLUSION
Group, Class, & Family
I. INTRODUCTION
A. Significance
B. Types of Stratification
1. Horizontal Stratification
2. Vertical Stratification
C. Definitions
1. Formal Groups
a. Associational Groups
b. Institutional Groups
2. Informal Groups
Group, Class, & Family
II. GROUP STRUCTURE: Vertical
A. Group Patterns in the Middle East
B. Reasons for Significance of
Informal Groups
C. Politics of Informal Groups
D. Family
E. Power of Women
Group, Class, & Family
II. GROUP STRUCTURE
A. Group Patterns in the Middle East
1. Formal vs. Informal Groups
2. Associational vs. Institutional
Groups
Group, Class, & Family
II. GROUP STRUCTURE
B. Reasons for Significance of
Informal Groups
1. Absent Formal Groups Conditions
2. Mid East Groups Size & Trust
3. Small Groups Attain Goals
4. In Small Groups, Individuals Make a
Difference
5. Nobility of Manner, Small Groups
Defend the Public
Group, Class, & Family
II. GROUP STRUCTURE
C. Politics of Informal Groups
1. Known as, Clique or Faction
2. Examples:
a. Saudi = Bashka
b. Kuwait = Diwaniyya
c. Iran = Dawrah
3. Important Characteristics:
a. The Spirit of Personalism
(Vasetah)
Group, Class, & Family
II. GROUP STRUCTURE
D. Family
1. Significance: Kinship is hard to destroy
2. Nuclear vs. Extended Family
3. Examples: Marei, Egypt; Saudi vs Pahlavi
4. Three Ways to Magnify Kinship Ties
a. Communicating with blood relatives
b. Using a broad definition of kinship
c. Expanding ties via marriage
Group, Class, & Family
II. GROUP STRUCTURE
E. Power of Women
1. Stereotypes
2. Actual Historical cases
a. Prophet & Khadijeh, A’isha, Fatimeh
b. Abbasid: Zubayda vs. Barmecids 9th C
c. Ottoman & Persian Empires
d. Contemporary Leaders & Women
3. No Legal Equality, but Econ & Pol powers
4. General Observations
a. Have more power than is known
b. Power via men
c. Movement toward equality in Mid East
Group, Class, & Family
III. CLASS STRUCTURE: Horizontal
A. Class & Power
B. Western vs. Eastern Model
C. Political & Economic Classes
D. Old & New Classes
IV. CONCLUDING REMARKS