article

Social structure and the veil: comportment and the composition of interaction in Afghanistan

Anthropos77 (3/4) • Published In 1982 • Pages: 397-320

By: Anderson, Jon W..

Abstract
Among the Ghilzai Pashtun of Afghanistan, women are veiled or secluded from those men in the society with whom there is a potential for marriage. According to Anderson avoidance is mutual between men and women; he says that …'men 'veil' too -- and cognate behaviors occur in other relationships where differentiation is deemphasized as the focus of interaction' (p. 397). Two forms of symbolism associated with the veil are HAJAH or extreme politeness and a 'rough' mode of interaction between individuals in which relationships are framed in terms of differences between participants. The author's interpretation of the ways in which the veil is used and the placement of the veil in the context of meaings seem to suggest that its significance is not so much to keep men and women apart but to bring them together by regulating the terms in which they are socially present. Changes in the practice are consistent with alterations of social contexts rather than with changes in ideas about the identities of men and women (p. 397).
Subjects
Gender status
Social relationships and groups
Etiquette
Household
Sexuality
General sex restrictions
culture
Pashtun
HRAF PubDate
2002
Region
Asia
Sub Region
Central Asia
Document Type
article
Evaluation
Creator Type
Ethnologist
Document Rating
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
John Beierle ; 2001
Field Date
no date
Coverage Date
not specified
Coverage Place
Ghilzai Pashtun, Afghanistan
Notes
Jon W. Anderson
Includes bibliographical references (p. 419-420)
LCCN
07021775
LCSH
Pushtuns