The role of the family
in Arab countries
A comparison between
Egypt and Germany
Presented to
Prof. Dr. Elias Jammal
Winter Term 2001/02
By
Jörg Aldinger
Matriculation # 152028
Horst Bauernfeind
Matriculation # 153124
Human Resource Development WS 2001/02
The role of the family in Arab countries
Table of contents
Table of contents ................................................................................................ 1
Claims of responsibility ........................................................................................ 1
1.
Introduction ............................................................................................... 2
2.
The role of the family in society ................................................................... 2
2.1
Key Issues............................................................................................... 2
2.2
Historic development................................................................................ 3
2.3
Reasons for different family structures ....................................................... 4
3.
The family in Egypt ..................................................................................... 5
3.1
The rural family ....................................................................................... 7
3.2
Polygamous marriages............................................................................ 10
3.3
Traditional families in the city.................................................................. 11
3.4
Modern families in the city ...................................................................... 11
4.
The family in Germany .............................................................................. 12
5.
Conclusion ............................................................................................... 15
Bibliography ..................................................................................................... 17
Claims of responsibility
Chapters 1 through 3:
Horst Bauernfeind
Chapters 3.1 through 5:
Jörg Aldinger
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1. Introduction
The family as life partnership is in likely all cultures of our planet the
foundations of society. Every individual spends the first, for the human
development most important, years of its life in the family. Essential skills for
socialization, like for instance the language, are taught there. The family is
therefore a decisive factor for the cultural forming of human beings.
More than 80% of all Egyptian enterprises are operated as a family-business.
People, independent from there cultural background, are deeply rooted with
their family-background. Nowadays, in our globalized world, enterprises very
often have to deal with business partners from other cultures.
Therefore it is from fundamental importance for a businessman, to understand
his clients and business partners. In this environment personal relationship is
often as important as economical fats. For that reason learning some shallow
phrases and gestures does not do it. To know about the family background is
one of the key factors for intercultural understanding, therefore it should be
part of every businessman’s lecture.
2. The role of the family in society
2.1 Key Issues
The given paper explains the role of the family in the Egyptian-Islamic society
and compares it contrastively with Germany. On this occasion it will also be
explained, that, now and then, deeply rooted concepts of live are not
transferable to other cultures.
Especially in the context of family related
behavioral patterns this understanding is quite surprising, because norms and
values, adapted by the family, are accompanying us since our earliest
childhood.
In the first part of the paper the determining aspects of the social framework of
families in Egypt and Germany will be introduced. In the second part the
different forms of families in both countries will be shown.
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2.2 Historic development
Egypt and Germany do have a quite different social development history.
Therefore the present social circumstances cannot be seen isolated from the
historical background. While in Egypt arose more than 5000 years ago one of
the world’s first high developed civilization, the inhabitants of central Europe
still were on a Neolithic level of development. After the disintegration of the
Roman Empire the territory of today’s Germany was characterized by the
Christian-occidental philosophy, while the Islamization of northern Africa, which
took place between 707 and 715 CE1 had a formative impact on Egyptian
society.
By the end of the 15th century took place a dynamic scientific-technical
development in Europe. The religious formed way of thinking was strongly
influenced by a humanistic – pragmatic approach. This was also the period of
the great geographical discoveries (America 1492) and elementary technical
improvements.
The industrial revolution at the end of the 19th century caused fundamental
changes for European societies. The implementation of industrial production
methods brought (finally) wealthiness like never before in history. The
consequence was the formation of a broad social middle-class in Europe.
In the eighties of the 19th century Canceller Bismarck introduced a public social
security system in Germany. Thus, social assignments and responsibilities,
which have been performed until this time by the family, were taken over by
the state. The family lost her role as elementary securing during the past 120
years.
The arising industry in Europe and North America created a huge demand for
row materials, which has been covered by the systematic exploitation of the
colonial territories in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Entire regions were
transformed into row material suppliers with monocultural structures.
1
Österreichischer Rundfunk: Geschichte des Islam
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Well, a causality of this process and the present problems of the so-called “third
world” cannot be denied. Egypt is relatively poor in row material and
agricultural resources. Therefore it was to a wide extend spared from being
transformed into a colonial row material supplier. The country was a part of the
Turkish Empire since the late Middle Age. Then, in the 19th century the
Europeans realized the strategic position of Egypt and the possibilities of the
Suez Canal project. Finally the British took over the country.
The time under foreign rule caused almost a standstill in development.
Nevertheless, there was social development, but to a lower degree than in the
fast changing western societies. Sultan Mohammad Ali strained the technical
development, and Egypt’s infrastructure and technical capability was absolutely
comparable to some European countries during his leadership. After the Second
World War, Egypt experienced a socialistic orientation under the leadership of
“Gamal Abd el Nasser” (1952-1970). The Nasser period is characterized by a
slight undermining of the traditional structures. It ended up with a social crisis,
causes by the lost six-day war against Israel. President “Anwar el-Sadat” turned
away from the Soviet Union and approached Egypt to the West.
The present Head of State, President “Hosni Mubarak” is facing the same
problems like many other emerging countries: financial dependence from
foreign countries, a dramatically increasing population, increasing urbanization,
analphabetism, corruption and lack of reforms in politics and economy.
All this aspects are influencing the social norms and the family structures in
Egypt Nevertheless the traditional family structures in Egypt are still dominating
the majority of Egyptian families. Social structures have not changed to the
same degree like it was the case in Europe.
2.3 Reasons for different family structures
As the preceding explanation showed, the social structures and living conditions
of Egyptian and German families are influenced by a different historical
development, as well as by present environmental factors. It would be beyond
the scope of this study to reflect on all differences and their reasons. However,
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the most important indicators will be discussed in the following. The already
mentioned historical aspects will not be taken into consideration. Only the
presently measurable aspects will be taken into account.
Figure 1: The social environment (own elaboration)
The above-mentioned factors are forming the social milieu, which is influencing
the family. As these parameters are marked very differently in Egypt and
Germany, it is not surprising, that there are considerable differences between
the family structures in both countries. However, the degree of influence
caused by the different parameters will not be further investigated in this
paper.
3. The family in Egypt
The family is surely one of the most important institutions in the Egyptian
society. This is, among others, underlined by the fact, that the term family is
representing not only persons, who are actually related, but it is also used to
express close relationship. The word family is so to speak used in a metaphoric
way.
Foreigners in Egypt likely face the situation, that even the whole Egyptian
people consider themselves as one family. However, more often the community
of a certain district or neighborhood is called family. This is emphasizing on the
close relationship and confidence of local social bindings.
It might also be
confusing for Europeans that friends are also called with metaphors borrowed
from the family related vocabulary, like brother or sister. The close relationship
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is (mainly in colloquial use) also showed by holding a friend’s hand or finger, a
gesture, which could be misunderstood easily in Europe. The family is also one
of the most popular subjects in Egyptian TV productions. A wide range between
comedy and melodrama is offered.
Like probably all over the world, also in Egypt the word family refers to certain
specimen of solidarity, social cohesion and mutual support.
All this is based on a certain hierarchic system. The actually existing manifold
forms of families are organizing the living together of man and woman, old and
young in Egyptian society.
Depending on various aspects, there can be distinguished between different
specimens of living together, which will be explained schematically in the
following.
Figure 2: Schematic description of different family types in Egypt2
Of course, such a categorization is always a stereotyped simplification of the
reality. But, nevertheless, it is a quite useful instrument for a systematic
description of the society.
The size of the different groups is shown in the following figure, which
visualizes the percentages of the population living in Egypt’s different regions.
2
Jödicke, Dörte; Werner, Karin: KulturSchock Ägypten, p. 92
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Upper Egypt
12%
Sinai/
Channel
3%
Cairo
25%
Southern
Upper Egypt
5%
Nothern
Upper Egypt
13%
Western Nile
Delta
13%
Eastern Nile
Delta
29%
Figure 3: Geographic distribution of Egypt’s population3
Figure 3 especially shows the low urbanization in Egypt. It is at 44% the lowest
of the Middle-East and North-African countries. That means that a high
percentage of people (more than the half) still live in the country and still is of
great importance to the Egyptian society as a whole.
3.1 The rural family
Life on the countryside differs substantially from the urban ways of life. Living
in rural areas of Egypt means, above all, hard physical work to which all
members of a family contribute. Although it is officially forbidden, child and
juvenile labor in these areas is the rule, because many hands are needed to
accomplish all the work necessary to survive. One thing important to mention in
this respect is the fact, that many of these children that we pity so easily do not
see themselves as children anymore. Our definitions of childhood are quite
different, and it’s not uncommon in Egypt to meet some 12-year old adolescent
who is considered an adult already, both by himself and his environment.
That also explains why, even until today, the average wedding age in rural
areas is considerably lower than in the city. Most often, a very basic level of
scholastic education has to suffice for these people. The majority of the skills
3
German-Arab Chamber of Industry and Commerce: Wirtschaftsdaten Ägypten
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are learned-by-doing anyway, with both boys and girls learning practically every
important activity.
Because every pair of hands helps to accomplish the work, and because
childhood mortality is still quite high, birth control is not an issue for most
families. Thus, most families are correspondingly big. On the other hand, the
homes of most peasants and farm workers are quite small, used primarily for
sleeping, eating and watching TV.
Because of these spatial restraints and the climatic circumstances, a great part
of the social life takes place around the homes, and not in them. When visiting
such a village it will be striking that all kinds of household and personal effects
are scattered around the homes in a radius of several meters. The half-private
living space of these families extends itself far beyond the thresholds of their
doors.
Everyday life of rural families is characterized by a strong gender-specific
division of labor. Men and women, children and adults all have their particular
fields of activity. But nevertheless, it is not true that men do the hard physical
work and women do the easier tasks. The work is equally hard for both sexes,
and women are completely included in the exhausting farm work. The
numerous births and the exhausting work leave trace in many of the women’s
faces. Some of them look quite battered and careworn already with the age of
30.
The burden on the shoulders of the women is even greater since many of the
men leave their families for several years in order to work in the Gulf States to
improve the families’ income. During the absence of their husbands, the women
have to take over their tasks as well. For this time they also form the head of
the family, having the last word in family matters.
The structure of rural families equals the patriarchal model, which means that
men dominate women, and the old dominate the young. According to this
model, which in reality is being undermined to some extent, the eldest man is
the head of the family. His word is deciding in many family matters, and
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especially the younger members of the family are expected to show respect
accordingly.
However, the dominance of the male head of the family is limited by the
prominent role that his wife plays. As mother she keeps close relations with the
children, as keeper of the household she oversees all important aspects of
everyday life and as strenuous worker at home and on the field she has
competencies that usually grant her a high level of respect from the male head
of the family. Nevertheless, in public it is still the man who is in the driver’s
seat, being equipped with unilateral privileges.
The hierarchical order among the children in this kind of family is usually
organized by gender and age. The head of the children’s group is the oldest son
– less influential are the older daughters, who usually act as the mother’s right
hand. On a side note, after a child’s birth the mother status is usually
denounced by utilizing the predicate “mother of child’s name” (e.g. “Umm Ali”,
or “Umm Mohammed”).
Generally speaking, the older dominate the young. This hierarchical chain
organizes many aspects of everyday life and the delegation of tasks. However,
alongside with this order there are various possibilities for the family’s
individuals to excel themselves by displaying special skills or talents. These can
lead to a bonus over other family members. The picture of a rigid hierarchy
without influence capabilities would simply fall short of reality.
Especially in rural areas the family is the central institution. It is production,
consumption and social institution at the same time and like nothing else
influences the needs and self-understandings of its members. It is very normal
here, that even the little free time everybody has, is spent with brothers and
sisters to jointly visit relatives.
The family weaves itself into a netting of relatives with every new generation.
This can be especially pointed up by the popularity of cross cousin marriages in
rural areas. This agreement includes that the children of two brothers marry
each other and the groom integrates his bride into the household of his family
(as practiced in many other marriages as well). For the bride this can lead to a
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somewhat ambivalent situation. On one hand she knows her mother-in-law
already from the days of her childhood and thus does not need to find her way
in a completely new environment. On the other hand, the man stays within his
family and enjoys all the advantages of his ancestral social environment.
Numerous stories tell about the close relations of sons to their mothers – even
after the wedding – that keep the influence capabilities of the young woman in
narrow confines for several years. Only after the woman has built up a
somewhat more independent position, by bearing her own children, her
situation will improve and she will come to have some matriarchal power in her
hands.4
Recapitulating it can be said that young women hold the weakest social
position. They are not only subordinate to their parents, but also to their
brothers. Their brothers usually act the role of their protector in public and in
cases of libelous acts represent their interests. For these women the only way
of moving up the social ladder is to marry and – after years of inferiority
compared to the mother-in-law – to build up their own domestic empire.
3.2 Polygamous marriages
It’s also in rural areas, that polygamous marriages are most common. According
to the governmental office CAPMAS, 95% of polygamous marriages are
practiced by illiterates. In total, between 7 and 8% of all marriages in Egypt are
polygamous.
However, since a reform of civil law in 1979 the husband has to inform his first
wife when he is getting married again. She then has the right to get a divorce
based upon that fact. But since many husbands do not want that, they prevent
the sending of these notices to their wives by bribing the responsible official. If
women later find out, the blame is usually shifted on the Egyptian postal
service, which allegedly did not deliver the notice.
4
Jödicke, Dörte; Werner, Karin: KulturSchock Ägypten, p. 94
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As one can imagine, the legal possibility of polygamous marriages leads to
latent tensions between women and men, because many women feel they are
at the mercy of their husband’s decisions. The numerous media reports about
polygamies fuel these fears, especially for older women, who feel threatened by
younger and more attractive women. This is equally true for childless women
and mothers of only daughters (“Umm banat”).
3.3 Traditional families in the city
The relations between the members of traditional families in the city are also
quite close. Families that live in Cairo’s Old Town or in any of the lower-middleclass neighborhoods such as “Ain Shams” or “Dar Es Salaam” often fit into this
category. Most of the things already said for rural families can be applied to
these as well. Here, too, the eldest man is the head of the family. Cross cousin
marriages are also practiced in the city, but not quite as often.
However, in the setting of urban merchants and craftsmen, other rules apply to
the role allocation than do in rural areas. Traditionally, it is the man who takes
care of the whole family’s income, while the woman’s primary tasks include
housekeeping playing the role of a mother. Usually this includes the
management of the family income. In some less affluent families the wife is
also working to help improve the family income. Like in rural areas the children
are integrated into the division of work and are expected to help out wherever
they can.
The strong relation of young women and girls to the domestic family is also
reflected in the norm that does not allow them to go away too far from the
home without supervision, while their brothers often go to explore the urban
environment with friends.
3.4 Modern families in the city
Everyday life of many families living in the modern quarters of Cairo and other
Egyptian cities is quite different from the traditional styles we have explored so
far. These families often derive their self-understanding not from the cohesion
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of their family or relatives but from a broader vision of Egyptian society or even
world population. Within this group they see themselves on the side of the
intellectual or sophisticated people, which is a special privilege. For this reason
it is the exception, rather than the rule, that three generations live under the
same roof, as it is usual in the country.
Another characteristic of these families is the embedding of the individual family
members into separate circles of friends. Instead of spending most of the time
with brothers and sisters, adolescents are more likely to be with class mates,
team mates or other friends.
Even premarital relationships, that are traditionally forbidden, are allowed if the
young woman’s virginity remains untouched. The institution of girlfriend or
boyfriend is becoming increasingly important for the more open-minded young
people.
Different from the traditionally oriented communities, where employment of
women is only accepted if the man cannot generate the necessary income for
the family, it is seen more positively throughout the more modern communities.
Nevertheless, it is still in large part the woman’s duty to do the housekeeping
and to raise the children.
The modern family in Egypt, that averages fewer members than traditional
ones, is a result of the nasseristic patron state. It aimed to detach individuals
from the families by integrating them into state institutions like school,
university and administration. However, with the creeping loss of importance of
the state throughout the last twenty years, the family steadily comes back to
the fore. The model of the “individual in the state” that was once promoted by
Nasser increasingly looses its importance in Egypt.
4. The family in Germany
Without doubt, the family is the most important social institution in Germany,
too. However, the different historical development and the dissimilar living
conditions have led to different functions and features of the family.
Throughout the last decades, a clear trend away from the extended families can
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be observed. Families now tend to be smaller than before. This can be easily
demonstrated by examining the birth rate in Germany, which has greatly
declined since the beginning of the 20th century.
Figure 4: Birth rate in Germany (average children per woman), 1871-19985
This trend is likely to continue for another few decades at least, further
decreasing Germany’s population.
More than 20% of households in Germany’s metropolitan areas are so-called
single households, which means they consist of only one person. This is
probably the result of a highly individualistic society, but it might also be a sign
for a lack of social communication. After all, according to newer surveys, 80%
of these single households are so unwillingly.
The extended families that are so common in Egypt are rather unusual in
Germany. Unlike in Egypt they are not needed to secure a family economically
or socially, as these tasks are taken over by the state in case of need. Children
are neither seen as signs of wealth nor as being particularly prestigious. Far
from it, a higher number of children can easily be interpreted as a lack of family
planning. In many cases a big family results in a variety of social and
economical disadvantages.
5
Federal Institute for population research, Germany: Bevölkerung – Fakten - Trends - Ursachen
- Erwartungen (2000). p. 13
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Figure 5: Age structure in Germany, 1910 and 1998
Indeed, contrary to Egypt, where children are primarily a security for the
remaining years of retirement and where they help at home and on the field, in
Germany children are often an economical strain – despite all governmental
promotional programs. The recently published “poverty report” of the German
government comes to the same conclusions, denouncing children as the most
important factor for poverty in Germany.6
Besides the attitude towards children, the living situation in Germany marks
another important difference between German and Egyptian families. In
Germany it is the rule, that young people start their own household after
completing their education (or even before). At the latest they would wait until
they enter into a stable relationship with another person. Elder people in
Germany are left more and more in the social offside (mostly in homes for the
aged), where they are being taken of by a third party.
6
Of course, the definitions of the term „poverty“ in Egypt and in Germany are different.
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All these trends give indication for the progressing substitution of the family as
a traditional form of life. Newly created words like “Lebensabschnittspartner”
(partner for the current period of time) and the endeavors to put homosexual
partnerships on a par to the traditional heterosexual marriages further
contribute to this change of society.
The change of the forms of living together can be seen as part of the trend to
individualization and secularization in western societies. A distinction can be
made by employing the factor of childlessness. Partnerships without children
form the so-called non-family sector, while families with children form the
family sector. Currently the family sector is still twice as big as the non-family
sector, but a clear shift towards the non-family sector can be observed.
The future trends of families in the German society are often discussed
controversially.
While
some
believe
in
further
individualization
and
diversification in the forms of partnerships, others think that the traditional
family’s importance is likely to increase again, due to its importance for raising
and educating children.
5. Conclusion
The study at hand tried to discuss the most important differences between the
roles of the family in Germany and Egypt. The families differ in both structural
and functional aspects. The role of the family in Germany is rapidly evolving
and has left behind many of its historic meanings. The increasing independency
from the family in Germany was only possible with the rising economic freedom
and the improved social infrastructure, which now allows even young people to
live independently from parents or other people. This freedom allows the
individualistic German society to live in ever smaller partnerships or families,
focusing on every individual’s personal (sometimes egoistic) needs. In contrary,
the social net of the family in Egypt becomes ever more important
due to the high unemployment rates, the low incomes and the rapidly
increasing prices.
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Now this certainly raises the question if Egypt is just lacking economic
development in order to partition its society similar to Germany. That, however,
is very doubtable. Even though the family ensures economic safety, it would be
too superficial to see this as the primary reason for the social coherence in
Egypt. Egypt is a more collectivistic society than Germany, and social bindings
are much more important.
Despite all the globalization hype and the opening markets with increasingly
fast communication possibilities, the conditions of living and the family
structures in Europe and Egypt have converged very little. While in Germany a
strong tendency towards individualism and its associated forms of living can be
observed, this is not the case in Egypt.
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