The objective of this thesis is to understand whether Muslim groups have any shared values which are distinct from other groups and to understand what cultural values the Muslim groups possess. Like any other religion, Islam influences societies’ cultures of which it is the dominant faith. However, this research aims to understand whether it has a major cultural effect so that Muslim groups can be distinguished from other religions’ groups on the basis of cultural values.
Besides, it is also important to understand whether all Muslim groups share the same values when regional or climate effects are controlled for. House et al. (2004) state that region has influence on cultural values of societies. Climate also has effect on cultural even though it is not significant as regional influence.
Another objective of this research is to identify whether there are value differences between Shia and Sunni branches of Islam. Sunni faith is based on following Prophet Muhammad’s example path and rules described in Koran. In contrast, Shia faith is based on the path of Prophet Muhammad and his direct family members’ religious and spiritual teachings (Farah and Samad, 2015).
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1. Problem setting
1.2. Objective
1.3. Structure of the thesis
2. Value Theory
2.1. The Definition of Value
2.2. Human Values and Cultural Values
2.3. Conceptual framework of major value studies
2.3.1. Rokeach
2.3.2. Hofstede
2.3.3. Inglehart - World Value Survey
2.3.4. Schwartz
2.3.5. The GLOBE Study
2.4. Comparison
2.4.1. Comparison of studies – different classification systems
2.4.2. Particular issues of Muslim values
2.5. Conclusion for the research
3. Method
3.1. Methodologies of major value studies
3.1.1. Hofstede
3.1.2. Inglehart - World Value Survey
3.1.3. Schwartz
3.1.4. The Globe Study
3.2. Countries covered
4. Results (supported by relevant research papers)
4.1. Hofstede
4.2. Inglehart - World Value Survey
4.3. Schwartz
4.4. The Globe Study
5. Discussion
6. Summary
Objectives and Topics
This thesis aims to investigate whether Muslim groups possess distinct shared cultural values compared to other religious groups. By analyzing major cross-cultural frameworks, the research seeks to determine if Islam exerts a primary cultural influence that allows Muslim populations to be distinguished from followers of other religions based on their value systems.
- Review of major 20th-century cultural value studies (Hofstede, Inglehart, Schwartz, GLOBE).
- Classification of Muslim countries and analysis of their cultural orientations.
- Comparative analysis of Muslim societies against control groups in similar geographic regions.
- Investigation of potential value differences between Shia and Sunni branches of Islam.
- Impact assessment of regional, climatic, and socioeconomic factors on cultural values.
Excerpt from the Book
1. Introduction
Islam means to surrender to the will of God, according to the Koran which is the holy book of Islam. Islam was formed in Arabia and spread to all over the world since the seventh century (Fam, Waller and Erdogan, 2004). The name of the Islamic law is Sharia and it has its sources from Koran. Sharia governs followers’ all life decisions, behaviors and duties in most of Muslim countries. There are strict rules on what to wear, how to travel, how to treat guest or what to eat. Almost all aspects of life are defined by the Sharia.
There are seventy-two countries which have at least (?) a million Muslim citizens each around the world. More than half of Muslims in the world live in Asia-Pacific countries and about twenty percent live in the Middle East and North Africa. The Muslim population in the world is rapidly increasing. It is projected that the Muslim population will increase from 1.6 billion in 2010 to 2.2 billion in 2030. The population growth rate is twice as high compared to the rest of the world (www.perforum.org, 2011).
Muslim societies are mostly poor and underdeveloped. There are economic inequalities between social classes and the income distribution is uneven (Norris and Inglehart, 2011). Middle East Muslim countries like Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia enjoy significantly high gross domestic income (GDI) per capita, which pushes them up on Human Development Index (HDI). Those countries are oil rich and gain most of their income from that (Branine and Pollard, 2010). However, Muslim countries with a high HDI have fewer years of average schooling compared to non-Muslim countries. Besides that, Muslim countries like Turkey and Malaysia have high Gini indeces reflecting the inequality in the income distribution (The World Bank, 2015).
Chapter Summaries
1. Introduction: Outlines the religious and socioeconomic context of Muslim societies and establishes the objective of identifying shared cultural values within these populations.
2. Value Theory: Provides a comprehensive overview of existing cultural value definitions and theoretical frameworks, including Rokeach, Hofstede, Inglehart, Schwartz, and the GLOBE Study.
3. Method: Details the research methodologies, data collection, and country selection criteria used to analyze the cultural values of Muslim countries compared to specific control groups.
4. Results (supported by relevant research papers): Presents empirical findings regarding the cultural dimensions of Muslim countries across the four primary value studies.
5. Discussion: Synthesizes the results, interprets discrepancies between the studies, and highlights the specific cultural deviations found in countries like Turkey and Iran.
6. Summary: Concludes the thesis by reiterating the presence of shared values among Muslim societies, such as collectivism and high hierarchy, while acknowledging individual differences.
Keywords
Islam, cultural values, Muslim societies, Hofstede, World Value Survey, Schwartz Value Survey, GLOBE Study, cross-cultural research, collectivism, power distance, religiousness, socioeconomic development, Sharia, Middle East, Southern Asia.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The thesis focuses on identifying whether Muslim societies share distinct cultural values that can be differentiated from other religious groups using established cross-cultural frameworks.
Which major value studies are utilized?
The study utilizes the frameworks of Geert Hofstede, the World Value Survey (Inglehart), the Schwartz Value Survey, and the GLOBE Study.
What is the core objective regarding Muslim groups?
The goal is to determine if Islam as a dominant faith exerts a significant enough influence to create shared cultural patterns across diverse Muslim populations.
How is the methodology structured?
The research conducts a comparative analysis by grouping Muslim countries into clusters (Middle East and Southern Asia) and comparing them against regionally similar non-Muslim control groups.
What are the main thematic fields covered in the main body?
The analysis covers concepts like power distance, collectivism vs. individualism, masculinity vs. femininity, uncertainty avoidance, and future orientation.
Which keywords best describe the work?
The work is defined by terms such as Islam, cultural values, cross-cultural study, collectivism, and socioeconomic modernization.
How does the author treat the role of Sharia?
Sharia is analyzed as a foundational element that dictates social rules, legal systems, and daily behaviors, influencing the traditional nature of many Muslim societies.
Why are Turkey and Iran highlighted as special cases?
Turkey is noted for its industrialization and secular leanings, while Iran is distinguished by its Shia majority and specific hierarchical and humane orientation scores.
What do the findings say about collectivism?
The results consistently indicate that collectivism is a primary shared value across the analyzed Muslim societies, regardless of regional differences.
What are the identified limitations of the study?
The author identifies limitations regarding the age of some data sets, the scarcity of specific high-quality research on certain Muslim countries, and the variations in participation across the different studies.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Fatmegyul Aliosman (Autor:in), 2015, Values in Muslim Countries. A Review of Cultural Value Studies, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/312642
