Why do humans naturally create distinctions? How do we establish these distinctions between ourselves? What marks us as an individual within a particular group? In this project, I consider how etiquette is defined in Morocco and how it relates to the work of certain theorists and sociologists such as Pierre Bourdieu. Primarily, this project focuses on expectations of behavior, perceptions of the ‘other,’ and influences on the definition of good behavior in Morocco. In addition to observations in public spaces and more specifically at universities, I interviewed University students from Ibn Tofail in Kenitra and from Mohammed V in Rabat, and held discussions in two University classes about their opinions on etiquette in Morocco. Concerning rural to urban migration, I investigate the variations of etiquette in rural versus urban areas and the corresponding perceptions of the ‘other.’ Etiquette reveals how humans define themselves, embody and defy certain social distinctions, and create social hierarchies and classes.
African Studies | Family, Life Course, and Society | Rural Sociology | Social and Behavioral Sciences | Social and Cultural Anthropology | Social Psychology and Interaction
Ermilio, Christina, "R-E-S-P-E-C-T Expectations, Perceptions, and Influences on Moroccan Etiquette" (2011). Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection. Paper 1116.