Through an ARAB Cultural Lens

Abstract

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Retired Major General Robert H. Scales has described how in today's world, military victory be defined more in terms of capturing the psych-cultural rather than the geographical high ground. (1) It is in this spirit that we look at the Arab Middle East. U.S. military and civilian personnel are increasingly sensitive to customs, social organization, leadership, and religion as aspects of Arab culture. It is clear that, with international events as they are, America and its allies need to appreciate how Arabs think. When we misunderstand the Arab perspective and fail to see events through Arab eyes, we can make costly mistakes. To this end, the U.S. Air Force commissioned a study of the Arab mind to identify key differences between Arab and Western thinking. (2) Study members reviewed research literature, religious texts, and even business and travel guides. The United Nation's report on Arab culture proved particularly valuable. (3) The group conducted in-depth interviews with 16 Arabs from Egypt, Israel's West Bank, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria, and with 6 Westerners with extensive experience in dealing with Arabs from Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Based on their research, the study group identified differences that can fuel misunderstanding and hostility during Arab-Western interactions. Knowing these differences will help us cultivate an appreciation for Arab thinking and improve negotiation, coordination, and planning with Arab nations. (4) Several caveats should be noted. In every region, some people are bound to be atypical, so we can't expect every Middle Easterner to show the features we describe below, particularly those who have interacted extensively with Westerners or the Internet. Further, the region is not culturally homogeneous, so thinking patterns may vary somewhat across and even within nations. This article is really just a starting point for observing and learning about the way Arabs think. It should sensitize readers to features they might otherwise not notice. We found that Arabs and Westerners define their roles in society in very different ways. This is particularly true in regard to personal identity, social behavior, and the manner in which they reason. Personal Identity Three perspectives that demonstrate contrasting ways of viewing personal identity are pertinent to this study: independent versus interdependent, honor and the concept of self, and fatalism versus mastery. Independent versus interdependent. Westerners typically believe that they have unique traits and values, and so we attend to our own needs and interest. (5) In contrast, Arabs value interdependence and collectivism, identifying themselves in relation to their family and tribe rather than to individual traits and experiences. (6) These connections offer the social support that secular institutions and government provide in the West. The people we interviewed noted, Retirement villages were unheard of in the Arab world where families take care of the elderly and infirm. Another interviewee captured this sense of community: AA [American Automobile Association] would go out of business in the Middle East. If your car dies, people stop and help you fix it. Interdependence provides social support and nurture. Arabs are often repelled by the sense of isolation and lack of caring they perceive in Westerners. The downside of interdependence is that it can make people reluctant to show initiative; it can constrain the flow of ideas and stifle debate. Arabs, and indeed any interdependent people, may not strive for new discoveries and knowledge because their group identity is more important to them than technological growth. (7) Raphael Patai, a noted ethnographer and anthropologist, speculated that the weakness of the Arab military stems from stifled thinking rather than from a lack of courage or intelligence. …