GLOBALIZATION AND THE ARAB FAMILY SYSTEM: A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF PERCEIVED THREATS AND CHALLENGES

Abstract

The objectives of this research were threefold: 1) to investigate whether globalization and Islamic religiousness conflict each other; 2) to examine how globalization has changed the family system in the Arab world; and 3) to provide some examples and life stories of the influence and transformation of family relations. The findings indicate that globalization has had both positive and negative effects on values, beliefs, and gender roles, resulting in changes in education, economics, entertainment, marriage, and parenting, and leading to an increase in single-parent, blended, mixed-race, and mixed-nationality families. Furthermore, the influence of social media and globalization had eroded traditional moral and family values. These findings could have been valuable to sociologists, policymakers, and researchers working on the issue.