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Allouche, Sabiha (2019) 'Love, Lebanese Style: Towards an either/and analytical framework of kinship.' Journal of Middle East Women's Studies, 15 (2). pp. 157-178.

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Abstract

My article draws on a yearlong fieldwork conducted in Lebanon and builds on the existing literature on love and marriage in the Arab world in order to reiterate the unison of the imaginary with the material when thinking through romantic love. In addition, it prioritizes positive interpretations of kin relations by highlighting the equally important inclusive and relational qualities that external kin relations conduce. By doing so, it adds an important layer to our understanding of the role and scope of kin relations vis-à-vis the couple. Kin approval ought not be seen as either/or divisive/conditional. For many couples, kin relations constitute an arena where they can disseminate their affective bond. Such analysis is three-fold. In addition to embracing the multiple subjectivity of my interlocutors, it moves beyond the strict political economy approach that informs marriage studies in the Middle East and dismantles monolithic perceptions of Middle Eastern kin networks.

Item Type: Journal Article
Keywords: kinship, romantic love, gender, political economy
SOAS Departments & Centres: Departments and Subunits > Interdisciplinary Studies > Centre for Gender Studies
Subjects: H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Women
ISSN: 15525864
Copyright Statement: © 2019 by the Association for Middle East Women’s Studies
DOI (Digital Object Identifier): https://doi.org/10.1215/15525864-7490953
Date Deposited: 26 Nov 2018 13:19
URI: https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/id/eprint/29797

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