The modern sociocultural significance of the jordanian Bedouin tent

This paper seeks primarily to investigate the spatial features of the Bedouin tent (known as bayt al-sha^cr) and their sociocultural implications among the Huwaitat Bedouin community in southern Jordan. It employs an anthro-architectural framework of analysis, and demonstrates that the relationship between the physical and sociocultural realms is highly dynamic and intertwined. The tent is conceived of as more than a place but rather a social arena where social values and norms are constantly produced and reproduced. Furthermore, the paper examines some of the major transformations, particularly in terms of structure and function, that the tent has lately undergone.