Nancy W. Jabbra, Ph.D. (1975), Catholic University of America, is Professor Emeritus of Women's and Gender Studies at Loyola Marymount University. She has published extensively on Middle East studies, women's and gender studies, and, most recently, vernacular religion in Lebanon.

• Acknowledgements1 Introduction2 Al-Firzul in Context1 Before the Nineteenth Century2 The Nineteenth Century to the End of World War I3 Post World War I to World War II4 World War II5 The Post-World War II Period6 The Village during the 1970s7 The Civil War8 After the Civil War: The 1990s9 The 2000s10 Conclusion3 Women, Gender, and Families1 Kinship and Residence2 Views about Marriage3 Finding a Spouse4 Age at Marriage5 Family Structure and Size6 Conclusion4 Women, Education, and Work1 Education2 Work3 Summary and Conclusion5 Gender and Community1 Kinship2 Organizations3 Governance and Institutions4 The Internet5 Summary and Conclusion6 Gender Symbolism in Ritual1 Origins of First Communion in al-Firzul2 First Communion in 19733 Post-Civil War First Communion Observance4 Weddings in 1972–19735 Weddings Post-Civil War6 Funerals in the 1970s7 Funerals Post-Civil War8 Women’s Practice of Vernacular Religion: Subverting the Gender Hierarchy9 Conclusion7 Conclusion1 Summary2 Some Portraits: A Glimpse of the Future?References

Nancy W. Jabbra, Ph.D. (1975), Catholic University of America, is Professor Emeritus of Women's and Gender Studies at Loyola Marymount University. She has published extensively on Middle East studies, women's and gender studies, and, most recently, vernacular religion in Lebanon.

• Acknowledgements1 Introduction2 Al-Firzul in Context1 Before the Nineteenth Century2 The Nineteenth Century to the End of World War I3 Post World War I to World War II4 World War II5 The Post-World War II Period6 The Village during the 1970s7 The Civil War8 After the Civil War: The 1990s9 The 2000s10 Conclusion3 Women, Gender, and Families1 Kinship and Residence2 Views about Marriage3 Finding a Spouse4 Age at Marriage5 Family Structure and Size6 Conclusion4 Women, Education, and Work1 Education2 Work3 Summary and Conclusion5 Gender and Community1 Kinship2 Organizations3 Governance and Institutions4 The Internet5 Summary and Conclusion6 Gender Symbolism in Ritual1 Origins of First Communion in al-Firzul2 First Communion in 19733 Post-Civil War First Communion Observance4 Weddings in 1972–19735 Weddings Post-Civil War6 Funerals in the 1970s7 Funerals Post-Civil War8 Women’s Practice of Vernacular Religion: Subverting the Gender Hierarchy9 Conclusion7 Conclusion1 Summary2 Some Portraits: A Glimpse of the Future?References

Nancy W. Jabbra, Ph.D. (1975), Catholic University of America, is Professor Emeritus of Women's and Gender Studies at Loyola Marymount University. She has published extensively on Middle East studies, women's and gender studies, and, most recently, vernacular religion in Lebanon.

• Acknowledgements1 Introduction2 Al-Firzul in Context1 Before the Nineteenth Century2 The Nineteenth Century to the End of World War I3 Post World War I to World War II4 World War II5 The Post-World War II Period6 The Village during the 1970s7 The Civil War8 After the Civil War: The 1990s9 The 2000s10 Conclusion3 Women, Gender, and Families1 Kinship and Residence2 Views about Marriage3 Finding a Spouse4 Age at Marriage5 Family Structure and Size6 Conclusion4 Women, Education, and Work1 Education2 Work3 Summary and Conclusion5 Gender and Community1 Kinship2 Organizations3 Governance and Institutions4 The Internet5 Summary and Conclusion6 Gender Symbolism in Ritual1 Origins of First Communion in al-Firzul2 First Communion in 19733 Post-Civil War First Communion Observance4 Weddings in 1972–19735 Weddings Post-Civil War6 Funerals in the 1970s7 Funerals Post-Civil War8 Women’s Practice of Vernacular Religion: Subverting the Gender Hierarchy9 Conclusion7 Conclusion1 Summary2 Some Portraits: A Glimpse of the Future?References