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The Undergraduate Research Journal

Abstract

There are many preconceived notions about Bedouins, captured in general dictionary definitions of the term For example, "Bedouin" is defined by the Oxford dictionary as "An Arab of the desert"; by Merriam-Webster as "nomadic Arab of the Arabian, Syrian, or northern African deserts." However, the laxity of these definitions can be easily confirmed by a visit to Umsayhon, Jordan, where Bedouins live in cities with urban facilities and services, or to Ossela, Sinai, where Bedouins are settled in homes with televisions, or even to Matruh, Egypt where Bedouins wear wristwatches and plastic shoes and travel in Toyota trucks. The identity of Bedouins has drastically shifted from desert roaming and herding to an urban lifestyle due to the nationalism policies adopted by the states and the tourism industry, which made their heritage a commodity.

Nationalism is a complex and contested concept that can have different implications depending on the perspective. I will focus on the element of nationalism that involves the process of nation-building, which is the construction or structuring of a national identity and unity using the power of the state or across borders. Nation-building entails developing political, economic, security, and social institutions that foster social harmony, economic growth, and national integration. However, nationalism from this perspective can also have negative aspects, such as exclusion, intolerance, or aggression towards specific groups or minorities within the state. Hence, I will be exploring some forms of this exclusion towards Bedouins and its adverse consequences on the Bedouin identity.

The documentaries "The Bedouin of Petra" (Al Jazeera English) and "The last Bedu of Petra & Wadi Rum" (SLICE) provide a close look at the impacts of tourism and developmentalism on Bedouins. By using these artifacts, along with consulting the extensive literature and discourse about Bedouins, I will be discussing how the Bedouins are depicted by states in the light of the tourism industry and their perceived role in nation building , which contributed to the undeniable fading of the Bedouin identity. Also, I will be attempting to answer the questions of who the Bedouins are, where they are today, and how they depict themselves in relation to the state. The paper will focus on the Bedouins of Petra in Jordan and the Bedouins of Sinai, Egypt. However, the same could be applied to the Bedouins in other states as they are analogous in many aspects, including being ruled by authoritarian states and impacted by tourism.

Document Type

Essay

Department

Sociology, Egyptology & Anthropology Department

Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval

Not necessary for this item

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