An Anthropological Introspection into Identitarian, Social, Religious and Coloniality Social Practices in Egypt, Iraq and Syria

Abstract

This article proposes to contest, from an interdisciplinary perspective, the stereotype of the Arab world as homogeneous and show that Arab societies have deep socio-cultural and anthropological differences. This article will first highlight colonial interference in anthropological practices, social usages and conducts, and courtesies, treatments and foreign influence on language in comparison with another practice founded to resist foreign influence: that which is related to intimate ontological life. The paper will analyse urban usages, philological aspects, protocols, social rituals and other factors of personality interference, belonging and individual behaviour. Neutrality will be maintained through the use of terms such as groups, individuals or collectivities rather than terms such as societies or communities to avoid associating these groups with political categories. Finally, the intersectionality of identitarianism and belonging will be examined in relation to three countries: Egypt, Iraq and Syria.