Agents of social change: cultural connections between Emirati women and camels

Marta Wieczorek, Zayed University

Document Type

Article

Source of Publication

British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies

Publication Date

1-1-2024

Abstract

This article considers experiences and interactions of Emirati women with camels, the latter being of the most culturally significant animals in the Emirates, entangled in compelling sociocultural and national narratives. No English-language publication thus far has prioritized female experiences in interacting with camels in the UAE, albeit tending to those animals is not an exclusively male domain. Emirati women’s presence around camels is explored in the context of riding, trekking, racing, inheriting and owning them. Tracking shifts in female experiences around camel-related culture is an essential component of the research. Camels can be perceived as agents of social change–their evolving sociocultural presence is indicative of broader transformations in the UAE. Female narratives centred around those animals describe old and entirely new contexts of their cultural existence. Camels appear, among others, as central figures of heritage revival processes in the UAE and as ‘tools’ of self-discovery. Additionally, phenomenological perspectives engaged in this research, allow for values of cultural nostalgia, emotions, sentiments, embodiment, and sensuous presence in the world to be revealed in the Emirati women’s stories.

ISSN

1353-0194

Publisher

Informa UK Limited

Disciplines

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Keywords

Emirati women, camels, cultural connections, sociocultural narratives, phenomenological perspectives

Scopus ID

85206464332

Indexed in Scopus

yes

Open Access

no

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