Many scholars take for granted that family relations make up an essential part of social and political life in the Middle East, yet few scholars use “family” as a central analytic in their study. Considering the fall of patrilinear governments like those of Kaddafi, Mubarak, and Hussein, and the continued emigrations from Syria and Libya among other countries, an examination of the changing meaning of family appears a prerequisite for any study of the region. For this reason, Suad Joseph’s extensive edited volume Arab Family Studies: Critical Reviews is an important resource for scholars and policy makers who study the Arabic-speaking world. While at times uneven, the volume is nevertheless a good starting point for scholars and students interested in family studies, as well as a persuasive argument for family as a critical field of scholarship.
Joseph, an accomplished social scientist who has studied families in Lebanon for more than...
