| Summary/Abstract |
This article surveys the reasons that Arab tribalism, or qabaliyya, has been traditionally associated with nomadism, deserts, and rural populations. This commonplace is present not only in the West, but also in the mentality of urban dwellers in the Arab countries of the Middle East. Despite this misconception, it is well known that tribal people have been settled in cities and towns for decades. Building on this fact, the author argues that Arab tribes have assumed urban models of social organization in order to adapt to their relationships and assure the preservation of personal identity, protection, group solidarity and their capacity for collective action.
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