Professor of Anthropology Lara Deeb spoke with independent ezine Jadaliyya, produced by the Arab Studies Institute, about her new book Love Across Difference: Mixed Marriage in Lebanon.
Deeb began working on the book in 2012, but says it is in some ways a culmination of a lifetime of her fieldwork. The book tackles how the extremely successful political sectarian system in Lebanon infiltrates people’s interpersonal relationships, actions, and worldviews, and how that system is constantly reinforced.
“It also looks closely at how sex and sect converge as categories in people’s lives as they navigate decisions about marriage and the social consequences of those decisions,” says Deeb.
It was a tricky book to write, but Deeb hopes her approach will make her interviewees and those who can relate to their stories feel seen and heard. With the ongoing civil, political, and economic unrest in the Middle East, reflecting on the sectarian divides is a vital part of addressing the conflict.
“In terms of impact, I want to challenge readers to dismantle the assumptions, especially about social categories, that we all carry around in our heads,” she says. “I hope this book adds to our understanding of how sectarianism is reinforced and how it infiltrates our lives, so that we are better able to undo its effects and smother the rot that it fuels.”
To read the full interview, click here.