University of South Florida Scholar Commons Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate School 4-6-2016 The weetS Burden: Constructing and Contesting Druze Heritage and Identity in Lebanon Chad Kassem Radwan Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd Part of the Social and Cultural Anthropology Commons Scholar Commons Citation Radwan, Chad Kassem, "The wS eet Burden: Constructing and Contesting Druze Heritage and Identity in Lebanon" (2016). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/6132 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at Scholar Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Scholar Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Sweet Burden: Constructing and Contesting Druze Heritage and Identity in Lebanon by Chad Kassem Radwan A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Anthropology College of Arts and Sciences University of South Florida Major Professor: Kevin A. Yelvington, D.Phil Elizabeth Aranda, Ph.D. Abdelwahab Hechiche, Ph.D. Antoinette Jackson, Ph.D. John Napora, Ph.D. Date of Approval: April 1, 2016 Keywords: preservation, discursive approach, educational resources, reincarnation Copyright © 2016, Chad Radwan Dedication Before having written a single word of this dissertation it was apparent that my success in this undertaking, as in any other, has always been the product of my parents, Kassem and Wafaa Radwan. Thank you for showing me the value of dedication, selflessness, and truly, truly hard work. I have always harbored a strong sense of compassion for each and every person I have had the opportunity to come across in my life and I have both of you to thank for understanding this most essential human sentiment. Acknowledgements A very special thank you to my PhD advisor, Dr. Kevin Yelvington. The time and energy you have devoted to my academic success went above and beyond what any doctoral student might ever expect. From time to time you and your family have warmly welcomed me into your home. Your kindness characterizes the sincerity of what truly gracious people are all about. I am also especially grateful to have had such an illustrious doctoral committee with an especially wide range of academic expertise that greatly benefited the rigor of my research efforts. Thank you to Dr. John Napora, Dr. Antoinette Jackson, Dr. Elizabeth Aranda, and Dr. Abdelwahab Hechiche. Thank you also to Dr. Thomas Mason, who kindly, and warmly, chaired the defense of my dissertation. Each of you challenged me and made me think in new ways, encouraging me to take a more holistic approach to both my research topic and to life in general. Thank you to my sister-in-law, Rawia Masri-Radwan, who devoted innumerable hours helping me with a variety of labors to assure I would meet each looming deadline. Thanks to my dear friend Danielle and my “nearly cousin” Christopher for being just a phone call away no matter the hour. Thank you to my fellow graduate instructors of SOC suite 011. Together we made our little common area a comfortable space for all sorts of impromptu roundtable discussions, think tanks, and soap box tirades. Over the last two years, the moral support from each of you helped me to put all of my work and responsibilities into perspective. Special thanks to Kaniqua Robinson and Rebecca Campbell. Both of you were always there when I needed to bounce ideas off of someone and your feedback was instrumental in helping me to preserve my focus. I look forward to congratulating you and my SOC 011 colleagues when you successfully defend your dissertations. Your future successes should assure anyone reading this that experts in our field, and in many others, can be bright, positive, and selfless idealists. Last but definitely not lease, I extend a very special thank you to all of those individuals in Lebanon that took a chance to share their thoughts and opinions with this perfect stranger. In particular, a handful of individuals have my extreme gratitude for trusting my intentions and embracing the goals of my research as if they were their own. Thank you for your energy and for your encouragement. On a daily basis you reminded me why I chose this path of study and why I believe preserving the cultural heritage of the Druze community worldwide is worth every bit of effort that we can muster. Table of Contents List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ iv Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... vi Note on Translation...................................................................................................................... viii Chapter 1 Introduction to the Research Prospective and Community .............................................1 Exploring the Research Rationale ........................................................................................2 An Introduction to the Druze ...............................................................................................8 Formative Cultural Facets: Proximity, Endogamy, Kinship and Reincarnation ...............12 The Implications of the Research Project ..........................................................................20 Chapter 2 Reviewing Heritage in the Literature and Developing a Theoretical Perspective ........24 Topic Areas in Studying Heritage ......................................................................................25 Heritage as a Manageable Resource ......................................................................29 Heritage as a Marketable Tourist Product .............................................................32 Heritage as a Public Performance or Private Experience ......................................36 Heritage as Authentic Representation ....................................................................39 Heritage as Silence and Elision ..............................................................................42 Heritage as History or Memory .............................................................................45 Heritage as Process ................................................................................................47 Defining Heritage in the Discourse....................................................................................50 Framing my Definition of Heritage ...................................................................................54 My Theoretical Approach to the Study of Cultural Heritage ............................................59 Chapter 3 From an Early History of the Druze to the Modern-Day ..............................................65 Early History of the Druze .................................................................................................66 Druze Doctrinal Principles .................................................................................................76 Druze Communities in the Modern-Day............................................................................80 The Druze in Israel and the Golan Heights ............................................................84 The Druze in Syria .................................................................................................92 The Druze in Lebanon ...........................................................................................99 Chapter 4 The Anthropology of the Middle East and Research on the Druze Community ........106 Anthropological Traditions in the Middle East Compared to Research Themes on the Druze ....................................................................................................................108 Ethnic and Religious Minorities in the Middle East: Marginality and Transformation ...............................................................................................111 i Assimilation and Preservation in the Diaspora and Among Minorities ..............116 Women’s Roles: Tradition and Transition ...........................................................121 The Anthropology and Social Science Research of the Druze ........................................126 The Nature of Druze Politics ...............................................................................128 Reincarnation: A Foundation for Social Practice ................................................132 Secrecy and Esoterism .........................................................................................135 Mushayekh as the Keepers of Religious Knowledge ...........................................140 Community Cohesion ..........................................................................................144 Aspects of Heritage Research on the Druze ....................................................................148 How Identity is Constructed through Heritage ....................................................148 Heritage and the Land ..........................................................................................153 Diasporic and Minority Communities .................................................................158 Representing, Interpreting, and Owning Cultural Heritage Resources: Ethical and Practical Considerations .............................................................165