From 1993 until 1998, Marina de Regt was employed as an anthropologist in what has been regarded as one of the most successful Dutch-financed projects in Yemen: the Hodeida Urban Primary Health... Show moreFrom 1993 until 1998, Marina de Regt was employed as an anthropologist in what has been regarded as one of the most successful Dutch-financed projects in Yemen: the Hodeida Urban Primary Health Care Project in the port city of Hodeida. Working together with a group of young women who were trained as health educators (murshidat sihhiyat), she was impressed by their strength and motivation to bring about social change. Yet, gradually she also gained insight into the more ambiguous elements of their work, as their training and employment had ushered i n new forms of social control. Were the murshidat pioneers, successfully transgressing gender boundaries in Yemen, or were they pawns, deployed to realize the agendas of the Dutch donor and the Yemeni state? Show less
The ISIM project 'Rights at Home: An Approach to the Internalization of Human Rights in Family Relations in Islamic Communities' organized four Capacity Building Workshops in Yemen and Tanzania in... Show moreThe ISIM project 'Rights at Home: An Approach to the Internalization of Human Rights in Family Relations in Islamic Communities' organized four Capacity Building Workshops in Yemen and Tanzania in the summer of 2003. In close cooperation with the local counterparts, the Yemeni Forum for Civil Society and the Tanzanian Sahiba Sisters Foundation a total of 150 participants were invited to come to San'a (21-24 July), Taiz (26-29 July), Aden (31 July-4 August) and Mwanza (9-17 August) respectively to enhance their knowledge and practical implementation of human rights issues within the local family. Show less
The ISIM programme 'Rights at Home: An Approach to the Internalization of Human Rights in Family Relations in Islamic Communities' recently held its first series of sounding board meetings in Yemen... Show moreThe ISIM programme 'Rights at Home: An Approach to the Internalization of Human Rights in Family Relations in Islamic Communities' recently held its first series of sounding board meetings in Yemen: from 4-6 May 2002 the venue was in Sanca, 9 May in Aden, and 11 May in Tacizz. The meetings were jointly organized by the ISIM and the Forum for Civil Society (FCS), a non-governmental organization concerned with the development of democracy, human rights, and civil society, based in Sanca. Show less
The historical city centres in the Middle East are very well endowed with artefacts and significant architecture. The urban fabric found within these rich contexts can be said to be the binding... Show moreThe historical city centres in the Middle East are very well endowed with artefacts and significant architecture. The urban fabric found within these rich contexts can be said to be the binding force of cultural heritage, along with the social qualities and values that are integrated into these urban environments. Yet modernity, globalization, and many other vehicles of radical change have severely affected the traditional urban phenomena of the Middle East. Urban conservation has therefore become imperative, surpassing the typical limited concerns of the restoration and preservation of historical buildings in the region. Show less
One of the salient features of religious life in Yemen in the modern period has been the fading of historically rooted Yemeni forms of Islam. Zaydi scholars, for example, have been reduced to a... Show moreOne of the salient features of religious life in Yemen in the modern period has been the fading of historically rooted Yemeni forms of Islam. Zaydi scholars, for example, have been reduced to a minority group within the body of the ulama and have little say in the running of the country's affairs. The Shafici Sufis of the Hadramaut have faired even worse. The most visible form of Islam, and the one actively promoted by the state, claims to be above the sectarian identities of the Yemenis and ultimately adheres to the Salafi school. This requires explanation since Salafism is not usually associated with Yemen's religious and intellectual history. Show less
Biomedicine's ability to postpone death and prolong life generates ethical dilemmas that are best answered in their cultural context. Medical anthropological fieldwork conducted in Yemen has... Show moreBiomedicine's ability to postpone death and prolong life generates ethical dilemmas that are best answered in their cultural context. Medical anthropological fieldwork conducted in Yemen has allowed for an exploration of doctors' and religious scholars' responses to the interesting cross-cultural issue of whether to inform patients of their terminal conditions. This research is part of a larger study on Yemeni patients and family members who leave their country for reliable, high-tech medical care only available abroad. Show less
