This book explores how houses are created, maintained and conceptualized in southern Oman. Based on long-term research in the Dhofar region, it draws on anthropology, sociology, urban studies and architectural history. The chapters consider physical and functional aspects, including regulations governing land use, factors in siting houses, architectural styles and norms for interior and exterior decorating. The volume also reflects on cultural expectations regarding how and when rooms are used and issues such as safety, privacy, social connectedness and ease of movement. Houses and residential areas are situated within the fabric of towns, comparison is made with housing in other countries in the Arabian peninsula, and consideration is given to notions of the ‘Islamic city’ and the ‘Islamic house’. The book is valuable reading for scholars interested in the Middle East and the built environment.
1 Overview; 2 Geographical and Historical Considerations; 3 Creating Modern Houses; 4 The Physical House; 5 Cultural Understandings of Houses; 6 Being "at Home" Outside of the Home; 7 Situating and Comparing Dhofari Houses; 8 Privacy and Houses
Biography
Marielle Risse is an Associate Professor at Dhofar University in Salalah, Oman. She has taught literature, education and cultural studies on the Arabian Peninsula for a number of years and is author of Foodways in Southern Oman (Routledge, 2020).
