Social Change through Daily Life – An Exploratory Study on University Student Opinions on Personal Status Laws in Lebanon
(2020) CMEM01 20201Centre for Middle Eastern Studies
- Abstract
- Recent studies have shown the discriminatory and patriarchal nature of personal status laws in Lebanon (Geagea et al. 2015; Mikdashi 2018b). Stories abound of women losing custody of their children due to laws that favor paternal custody and of couples pursuing civil marriages abroad to avoid being subject to religious courts in Lebanon (Abillama 2018). Literature on the subject has focused on the discrimination of women and the resistance of sectarian leaders to implement changes. Missing from these studies, however, is a thorough discussion of how youth populations perceive the personal status law system and alternatives they desire. This study shows that one segment of the youth population, namely university students in Lebanon,... (More)
- Recent studies have shown the discriminatory and patriarchal nature of personal status laws in Lebanon (Geagea et al. 2015; Mikdashi 2018b). Stories abound of women losing custody of their children due to laws that favor paternal custody and of couples pursuing civil marriages abroad to avoid being subject to religious courts in Lebanon (Abillama 2018). Literature on the subject has focused on the discrimination of women and the resistance of sectarian leaders to implement changes. Missing from these studies, however, is a thorough discussion of how youth populations perceive the personal status law system and alternatives they desire. This study shows that one segment of the youth population, namely university students in Lebanon, regardless of sect or sex, oppose the current system of religious personal status laws, which they view as discriminatory toward women and impinging on their rights. Key to understanding their views is understanding the formal and informal patriarchal structures that maintain a “sextarian” form of citizenship on the Lebanese population (Mikdashi 2018b). Additionally, this study explores the development of a “social non-movement” (Bayat 2013) in Lebanon in which individuals separately and simultaneously challenge social norms and values that encourage intrasectarian relationships and adherence to the sectarian divisions in society, with the goal being the implementation of a civil PSL. This study uses survey and interview data collected in Beirut during November and December 2019 from students attending 14 universities. Carried out in the context of the anti-government protest movement that began in October 2019, this study shows that university students desire a civil personal status law that protects women from discrimination and treats all citizens as equal members of society, regardless of sex or sectarian affiliation. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9029084
- author
- Heinrichs, Matthew LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- CMEM01 20201
- year
- 2020
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Lebanon – Sectarianism – Personal Status Laws – Social Non-Movement – Youth – Social Change – Women
- language
- English
- id
- 9029084
- date added to LUP
- 2020-09-14 12:11:33
- date last changed
- 2020-09-14 12:11:33
@misc{9029084,
abstract = {{Recent studies have shown the discriminatory and patriarchal nature of personal status laws in Lebanon (Geagea et al. 2015; Mikdashi 2018b). Stories abound of women losing custody of their children due to laws that favor paternal custody and of couples pursuing civil marriages abroad to avoid being subject to religious courts in Lebanon (Abillama 2018). Literature on the subject has focused on the discrimination of women and the resistance of sectarian leaders to implement changes. Missing from these studies, however, is a thorough discussion of how youth populations perceive the personal status law system and alternatives they desire. This study shows that one segment of the youth population, namely university students in Lebanon, regardless of sect or sex, oppose the current system of religious personal status laws, which they view as discriminatory toward women and impinging on their rights. Key to understanding their views is understanding the formal and informal patriarchal structures that maintain a “sextarian” form of citizenship on the Lebanese population (Mikdashi 2018b). Additionally, this study explores the development of a “social non-movement” (Bayat 2013) in Lebanon in which individuals separately and simultaneously challenge social norms and values that encourage intrasectarian relationships and adherence to the sectarian divisions in society, with the goal being the implementation of a civil PSL. This study uses survey and interview data collected in Beirut during November and December 2019 from students attending 14 universities. Carried out in the context of the anti-government protest movement that began in October 2019, this study shows that university students desire a civil personal status law that protects women from discrimination and treats all citizens as equal members of society, regardless of sex or sectarian affiliation.}},
author = {{Heinrichs, Matthew}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Social Change through Daily Life – An Exploratory Study on University Student Opinions on Personal Status Laws in Lebanon}},
year = {{2020}},
}