european journal of social sciences issn: 1450-2267 - EuroJournals

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European Journal of Social Sciences – Volume 5, Number 3 (2007) encountered. The different, and sometimes opposing, values and norms of the two societies have constructed a concealed ‘inner’ identity, and an ‘overt’ ‘exhibited’ identity. The external-‘overt’ identity which was expressed among family and in the Druze community, was composed of cultural norms and values which the women were raised upon and which were accepted in the village society. The ‘external’ or ‘exhibited’ identity existed in the narratives mainly as a preemptive means to protect against the social sanctions held by the community. It was frequently described as a ‘cover’, a wrap, a mask or a veil, designed to camouflage the changes the women had undergone in the course of their studies, a period which was meant to be insignificant, and was therefore silenced, appearing transparent. Iman describes the inner self in contrast to the performance and behavior that must coincide with the Druze society’s demands: The Druze girl is very polite, always has to be sweet, even though inside me, that’s not it, … but it’s a kind of mold I’ve gotten into, and in which I have to live… I always liken it to a social mold, that is imposed on us, in which we, the girls are forced to grow up by (…) and I say this, and always stress - that it is not by choice; if I had the possibility of leading a different life - I’d live very differently. (Iman) The ‘overt’ identity is revealed during social encounters and adheres to accepted gender norms. While the ‘overt’ identity is utilized or revealed in public, the concealed ‘covert’ identity cannot be publicly expressed in the Druze community. It encompasses characteristics that were formed during the period of study, a different, Western, individualistic worldview, a desire for independence and selfexpression, all of which are unattainable in a culture where women are expected to conceal personal desires and aspirations. This difficulties and prohibitions to express their views and to attain personal goals results in a ‘secret,’ ‘concealed’ or covert identity that cannot be publicly expressed. The covert identity is covered by traditional clothing and scarves, hidden but very much alive: They can limit how I dress, says Arige. They can limit what I say, but they can’t limit my thoughts. My thoughts, I don’t know, if they can really fly, but they reach places without bounds. I can think however I want; after all I don’t think aloud, so I don’t threaten my surroundings. But the difficulty of always living in a world of thoughts is enormous, and the fact is that you can never put them into practice. (Arige) The sense of disconnection and dissociation between the ‘overt’ identity, the bodily practices bound by traditional obligations, and the ‘inner’ identity, “the soul”, is expressed by Arige and is experienced with great pain. The bodily practices and spoken words can be traced and condemned by the family and the community; therefore, while adhering to the accepted gender norms, the soul can roam without any limitations, but also without any ability for self expression, accompanied by substantial pain. The secular world, the individualistic values that have influenced the educated Druze women, and the Druze values they were raised upon, are expressed in their lives by a discrepancy and a gap. This gap exists between the way of life in practice and the inner goals, thoughts and feelings. Jasmine expresses this gap between her ‘covert’ identity, composed of thoughts and feelings developed during her encounter with secular individualistic norms at university, and her ‘overt’ identity of her performed lifestyle: I came upon secular values and a way of life that I believe in, but this creates a conflict…During the period that I studied in Jerusalem, I went through a process of growth and change, you can call it renewal. And now (upon return) I have to, like, ignore and disregard all this development, and show commitment to traditional practices. This gap, between what you think and feel is right and what you can actually do, between the way you have to behave here (the village), and what you believe in, creates a real problem! (Jasmine) Jasmine, like other interviewees, conceals the changes that have taken place during the period of higher education. The gap between actions and feelings, displays the split between the expressed way of life and the inner thoughts and feelings. A sense of disconnection and dissociation between the 28
European Journal of Social Sciences – Volume 5, Number 3 (2007) two identities emerges. While the ‘overt’ identity lacks inner expression, the covert ‘identity’ lacks any way of outer expression. Different psychological theories address the issue of presented selves or social selves as opposed to inner personal selves (among them: Goffman, 1959; James, 1890 Rosaldo ,1985; D'andrade, 1985; Jones, 1964; 1981; Jones & Pittman, 1982; Schlenker, 1980) . “Properly speaking,” says James, (1890: 294), “a man has as many social selves as there are individuals who recognize him and carry an image of him in their mind”. Seemingly, similarity can be seen between these psychological theories and the aspects of identity expressed by the interviewees. But while Jones & Pittman, (1982) and Schlenker (1980) describe mutual influences and relationships existing between the personal inner self and the expressed social self in theories, these mutual relations do not appear in the citations above, nor in the other citations. Another fundamental difference is the freedom to express and create the different selves. Although the theories of Jones Pittman (1982) and Schlenker (1980) do not refer to the social necessity or obligation to express the external ‘overt’ presentation of the self, the Druze women accentuate their obligation to conceal their inner selves, and the social sanctions that would be applied if they expressed their covert-concealed self influenced by Western individualistic norms. The interviewees accentuate the dissociation between the two identities, each presenting different cultural norms and values, and the lack of ability to present their inner feelings and values. These two dissociated aspects of identity influenced by East and West, by tradition and modernity, were apparent in the narratives, in addition to the accompanying pain and hybridity. Integration and Conflict in Identity In the narratives displayed in former sections, the traditional Druze norms were articulated by the ‘overt’ identity, and Western influences by the ‘covert’ identity, and a gap was described as existing between the two. Although many of the narratives described the two aspects of identity as dissociated, further analysis reveals that both cultures have apparently exerted a profound influence on the inner, covert identity and have caused intrapersonal conflicts. Nawal, who first describes her behavior as originating from social necessity, talks about internal conflicts that are not only affected by Western values and norms, but are influenced by both Western and traditional values and prohibitions: There will always be one side and an opposing side…. For example, women are not allowed to swim! Why? No one even gives you an explanation! It’s forbidden! If I go swimming in a bathing suit I feel like I’ve sinned. But my brain and logic say it is not a sin, not an offense! Nevertheless, the way I was raised constantly influences and affects me … Somehow, one is always in a state of dilemma and inner conflict of one side contrasting with the other, with yourself in the middle. (Nawal). The conflict is not limited to the dichotomy between individual will and collective norms or between ‘covert’ and ‘overt’ identities. The two worlds Nawal is torn between are reflected in the dual aspects of her inner, ‘covert’ identity: Her relationship with the secular and Western world is represented by cognition, and applied by her intellect or brain, while her affinity to the traditional world is implied by emotion. This portrayal of the two cultures integrated in her identity adds a new dimension to theoretical discussion of the influence of different cultures on identity. Not only does the dominance or supremacy of each culture vary (within identity) but these cultures also reflect separate entities in the different components thereof, i.e., the cognitive vs. the emotional. Hanan describes her inner conflicts stemming from the two cultures to which she was exposed, each in a different way, by using a metaphor which emphasizes the difficulty and pain: A single woman who has studied has many arguments with herself. There is even a stage of being split between keeping what I have, what I received from my childhood and tradition, and between the outside world, the contact with modernity outside. The argument is not only between me and my husband, between me and my friends, but also within myself;(…) Do you understand, it’s a long process, I still have many limitations. I want to fly, but I want to be attached with a thread; I can't 29
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