t h e

g i n
t i n s s
Da ercla
U p p
Hailey Kurth
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Academic
Introduction
1 3 Sources

Western
2 Perspective 4 Findings
 INTRODUCTION
How do young adults participate in the western practice of
dating within Arab culture? My research question more
specifically looks at how the concept of image affects both
genders, but specifically women, in dating relationships whether
it be casual or for marriage.
 Interviewed students at AUC and
other universities, but in a similar
Research social class.
These interviews were conducted
Methods in an informal manner to
encourage discussion about the
topic.
WESTERN PERSPECTIVE

Dating in college is casual and fun.

Most people date several people

Open minded culture

More freedom

Very few “rules”

Most don’t date for the intention of marriage, but to find

someone they end up wanting to marry
 ACADEMIC SOURCES

Love, Sex, and Desire in Modern Great Expectation, Uncertain Futures.

Egypt: Naviagting the Margins of
Respectability by LL Wynn
Set in Cairo over two decades, this
ethnography explores female
respectability, male honor, and
western theories and fantasies about
Arab Culture.
Urban and Online Encounters with
Youth, Love, and Marriage in Egypt
Looks at how access to social media and
Talk like an Egyptian: education create the ability to find love
for youth, and studies the continuing
Negotiating Identity at pressure to get married at a younger
the AmeriCan UniVersity age for women in Egypt.

in Cairo
Examines the struggle with identity students at AUC
face. The integration with western culture, but still
keeping their culture’s values.
 “Unlike girls, boys do not have to be
supervised very closely, because
their sexual behavior cannot
dishonor the family or compromise
their chances for marriage.”

—Ramadan Ahmed in “Women’s Evolving Lives”

 FINDINGS

Everyone I interviewed, including men, agreed there is unequal expectations between men and
women in relationships. However, at the same time, people have acknowledged that this is how
society functions and have to learn how to date within this framework. My findings below are
the themes repeatedly mentioned in my research
Image Fragile Double
Pressure to maintain a Masculinity Standard
certain image within society Men often feel the need Ties in with image. Women
to not be viewed as “shemal”, to control their partner typically feel they have be
but most people did not feel to avoid comments from more conscious of how
same pressure with their other men implying they society sees them and their
partners. are less of a man interaction with men
 THANKS!
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