From Shame to Pride

The Politics of Shawi Identity in Contemporary Syria

Bibliographic Data

ID12955472
AuthorsHaian Dukhan (0000-0002-8549-7874, University of St Andrews, corresponding author)
Year2022
Volume15
Issue4
Pages377-384
Publication date2022-11-08
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueMiddle East Journal of Culture and Communication (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1873-9857 • E-ISSN: 1873-9865
PublisherBrill (PUBLISHER • NL)
DOI10.1163/18739865-01504003
OpenAlexW4308566731
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited10

This article is about the word Shawaya. Before the Syrian uprising, many Syrians used the term Shawaya in a derogatory manner when referring to a class of people perceived as backward, uneducated and vulgar. However, during the course of the Syrian uprising and subsequent civil war, self-identification as a Shawi (the singular of Shawaya) became more prevalent among people belonging to this group of Syrian society. The Syrian uprising created a space for Shawaya to express their identity openly. As the Syrian uprising turned into a protracted conflict, the Shawi identity transformed into a political one as it became associated with the rural-urban divide characterizing the conflict. This article aims to explore the social and political implications of the word Shawaya in contemporary Syrian political culture by exploring the term and attempting to show how members of this group today express their Shawi identity both politically and socially

Aesthetics · Art · Identity (music · Linguistics · Media studies · Political science · Politics · Pride · Shame · Sociology · African history and culture analysis · Gender Studies · Historical and Contemporary Political Dynamics · Jewish and Middle Eastern Studies · Law

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