Chapter 7: Southwest Asia and North Africa
109
© 2017 Pearson Education, Inc.
Muslims; but Shiites remain key in some locations, including Iraq, Iran,
and Bahrain—also substantial minorities in Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia,
Yemen, Egypt; other variations of Islam include Sufism, which is
prominent in Atlas Mountains, parts of Turkey; the Druze of Lebanon also
another variant; many non-Islamic communities in region, including
Christians in Lebanon; Jerusalem—Israel’s capital—holds special
significance for Muslims, Jews, and Christians
B. Geographies of Language: although referred to as “Arab World,” linguistic
complexity is present
a. Semites and Berbers: Afro-Asiatic languages dominate region; Arabic-
speaking Semitic peoples found throughout; Arabic language was sacred
language in which God delivered message to Muhammad; Hebrew is
Semitic language—originated in Levant and used by ancient Israelites;
older Afro-Asiatic languages survive in remote locations—collectively
known as Berber, these languages are related but not mutually intelligible
b. Persians and Kurds: much of Iranian Plateau and nearby mountains
dominated by older Indo-European languages; principal tongue is Persian
(standardized modern Persian is usually called Farsi); Kurdish dominates
in northern Iraq, northeastern Syria, northwestern Iran, and eastern
Turkey; Kurds have strong sense of shared cultural identity and are
attempting to gain more political autonomy
c. The Turkish Imprint: Turkish languages are part of larger Altaic language
family; Turkey is core for language, but also present in Central Asia
C. Regional Cultures in Global Context: Islam links region with global Muslim
population; religion’s tradition of pilgrimage is material connection; people
struggle to retain traditional culture values with benefits of global economic
growth; Islamic fundamentalism is reaction to threat posed by external cultural
influences; technology contributes to cultural and political change—Internet, cell
phones, television; hybrid forms of popular culture reflect globalization—e.g.,
Arab hip-hop music
a. Islamic Internationalism: fast growing religion and despite divisions,
there a strong sense of unity both in the region and beyond; the inherent
place-based center of Makkah (Mecca) provides another example of how
globalization has made the city and the Hajj easier to visit
b. Globalization and Technology: struggles with the introduction of
technology and communication innovations as they are often integrated
with western culture, the use of these same elements for recruiting and
propagandizing for terrorist networks highlights the contradictions
c. The Role of Sports: soccer is the dominate sports activity with national
teams participating in regional and world competitions
V. Geopolitical Framework: Never-Ending Tensions: tensions remain high; recent Arab
Spring rebellions led to downfall of governments in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Yemen;
protests also in Bahrain; protracted civil war in Syria; uprisings focused on: charges of
widespread government corruption, limited opportunities for democracy and free
elections, rising food prices, and enduring poverty and high unemployment; other on-