University Modernizing Effects on Libyan Family and Culture.

This article presents information on effects of modernization on Libyan family and culture. It is informed that universities, aside from peoples' divergent attitude, have presented uniquely great challenge for which one can scarcely find an antecedent in Libyan cultural history. They simply have permeated every corner of the peoples' life. The changes to which they have led, although hard to cover include rising feminine liberty, secularism, social mobility, augmenting professional ambition, declining polygyny and patriarchy, detribalization and most importantly a more global outlook. The exemplary preoccupation of the traditional Libyan family with kinship and religion is fairly discernible in native socialization. This double-sided concern would seemingly lead to the formation of a character well fitted to the tribal social structure. In tribal families, adulthood is depicted to children as being inextricably connected with marriage. People thus think celibacy to be quite unnatural and is sometimes taken as a sign of immaturity. Furthermore, childlessness is regarded a curse and often lowers one's position. Nomadic and peasant families are fiercely strict about women's chastity. Girls normally remain virgin till their wedding. Infringement, although quite rare, of this highly upheld norm would dash the girl's hope for marriage, as had been reported in other cultures.