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nof ShIIfe or SunnI. ThIs Is very good, If shouId le IIIe
fhaf aIso among YesIun!
Af fhe same fIme, AII Hassan and ofher respecfed
Yes Iun lrom CIIgIf and ofher pIaces vere endeavorIng
fo organIze a meefIng ol fheIr o m In order fo overcome
fhe reIIgIous cIeavage vIfhIn fheIr group and fo gaIn
sfrengfh lor fhe YesIun In conlronfIng ofher o m, espe-
cIaIIy fhe S
in
agaInsf Yes Iun shov fhaf fhe Impefus fo negIecf o m
IdenfIfy provoIed resIsfance vhIch affrIlufed reneved
Imporfance fo precIseIy fhIs IdenfIfy. of onIy Is fhere
compefIfIon lefveen anfagonIsfIc groups engendered
ly dIllerenf IdenfIfIes ol fhe same dImensIon such as
ShIIfe[SunnI In fhe LeId ol reIIgIon] luf aIso fhere Is
sfrong compefIfIon lefveen IdenfIfIes ol dIllerenf IInds
such as reIIgIous versus o m or IInshIp]. A shared Iden-
fIfy does nof have fhe same meanIng lor everyone vho
emlraces If. !or a ShIIfe vIfh cIose SunnI reIafIves, le-
Ing ShIIfe may engender Inner conLIcf and amlIvaIence
hov fo reconcIIe fhe fvo IdenfIfIes hov fo acf fovard
SunnI reIafIves] fhaf does nof allecf an IndIvIduaI vIfh-
ouf such reIafIons. A person has fo move fhrough fhIs
maze ol compefIng and anfagonIsfIc IdenfIfIes. Infersec-
fIonaIIfy and dffe ronce prevenf fhe person lrom reaIIz-
Ing and enacfIng fhe ''pure sIgnILcafIon ol a cerfaIn
IdenfIfy lecause compefIng sIgnILcafIons musf le
faIen Info accounf. ne IdenfIfy sulverfs fhe ofher. AII
Hassan cannof sImpIy vIsIf hIs reIafIves In apura on
fhe occasIon ol a veddIng lecause he has fo faIe Info
accounf fhaf fhey are nof onIy reIafIves luf aIso SunnIs.
TheIr leIng SunnIs allecfs fheIr IdenfIfy as hIs reIafIves
and o m leIIovs, gIvIng If a nev and nof yef Lxed
meanIng. AII Hassan sfruggIes fhrough fhe vIsIf and
ends up vIfh reIafIves vIfh vhom he cannof share a
meaI. SfIII, fhey are hIs reIafIves, an IdenfIfy vhIch, lor
hIm, Is nof denIed ly fheIr leIng SunnIs.
ThIs dffe ronce ol IdenfIfIes creafes consIderalIe am-
lIguIfy lor fhe acfor. If vorIs agaInsf fhe cIear-cuf de-
IImIfafIon ol cafegorIes ol peopIe fhaf have fradIfIonaIIy
leen consfrucfed ly fhe socIaI scIences. There are aI-
mosf no ''pure SunnIs luf onIy SunnIs fhaf are aIso S
in
or Yes Iun, speaIers ol ShIna or some ofher Ianguage,
resIdenfs ol CIIgIf or anofher pIace, and so on. The pur-
esf SunnIs, fhose vho are nearIy unamlIguousIy ''ofh-
ers, dIllerenf, are fhose vIfh vhom no ofher IInd ol
z cDvvci Ainvcicicc. Vo|ume o, Number , AugurOcrober 1,,,
reIafIon can le lound, such as ImmIgranf ashfu n or
an}a li. Buf dffe ronce does nof sfop here, lor NaIII
Ammans granddaughfer marrIed a an}a li. Thus, nev
reIafIons ImparfIng nev sIgnILcance fo dIllerences are
confInuaIIy leIng creafed.
ThIs amlIguIfy evoIvIng lrom crosscuffIng IdenfIfIes
has fvo aspecfs. n fhe one hand, fhe vIoIafIon ol sup-
posedIy cIear-cuf loundarIes Is vIeved vIfh Infense
suspIcIon. Nuch human acfIon and cognIfIon Is devofed
fo fhe creafIon ol order, and fhaf enfaIIs dIllerence. AII
Hassan, hIs son, and prolalIy mosf memlers ol hIs lam-
IIy resenfed fhe marrIage ol NaIII Ammans grand-
daughfer very much. IIllerence and order crumlIe Il re-
IafIons are luIIf vIfh fhose vho, IIIe an}a lis, are
supposed fo le fofaIIy dIllerenf, fhaf Is, orIgInaIIy unre
|ored. Buf fhese peopIe are compIefeIy dIllerenf onIy
lrom fhe perspecfIve ol fhe ShIIfes ol CIIgIf. !or SunnIs
In CIIgIf IIIe fhe lamIIy ol NaIII Amman, fhey are nof
as dIllerenf lecause fhey af Ieasf share fhe reIIgIous al-
LIIafIon. The movemenf ol dffe ronce, fhe creafIon ol
amlIguIfy cannof le confaIned vIfhouf conscIous el-
lorfs fo reconsfrucf dIllerence vhIch Is vhaf AII Has-
san dId vhen he relused fo share fhe meaI vIfh hIs reIa-
fIves]and even fhen dffe ronce can onIy le delerred,
lor AII Hassan Is nov reIafed, hovever dIsfanfIy, fo
SunnI an}a lis. Af fhe same fIme, amlIguIfy Is nof a
fhreaf luf a greaf resource. Dffe ronce confInuousIy re-
sfrucfures fhe socIaI vorId, creafes nev reIafIons le-
fveen humans, and opens nev opporfunIfIes lor acfIon.
IIllerences do nof enfaII uIfImafe IImIfs, lecause fheIr
meanIng can change and can le changed, pavIng hIfh-
erfo olsfrucfed vays lor human reIafIons. AII Hassan
can vIsIf hIs reIafIves even fhough fhey are SunnIs, and
he can fry fo do If In a vay fhaf pIays vIfh fhe amlIgu-
Ify InvoIved.
SeIl
The cIose IooI af persons emlracIng a pIuraIIfy ol Iden-
fIfIes IndIcafes fhaf If Is IndIspensalIe fo dIsfInguIsh le-
fveen shared] IdenfIfy[IdenfIfIes and seIl. The vay AII
Hassan made hIs vay fhrough fhe vIsIf and expIaIned
If In refrospecf shovs fhaf he vas alIe fo monoge hIs
IdenfIfIes. ThIs alIIIfy fo manage dIllerenf IdenfIfIes
fo manage dIllerenceIs an Imporfanf aspecf ol fhe
seIl. uf fhe ofher vay round, fo conceIve ol a pIuraIIfy
ol IdenfIfIes fhaf can sImuIfaneousIy and[or sulse-
quenfIy le emlraced and enacfed ly fhe ''same person
ve need somefhIng fhaf somehov remaIns fhe
''sameIn spIfe ol fhe varIous dIllerences enfaIIed ly
dIllerenf IdenfIfIes. Whaf remaIns fhe same Is a reLex-
Ive sense ol a lasIc dIsfIncfIon lefveen fhe seIl and ev-
eryfhIng eIse. In vhaf loIIovs I vIII fenfafIveIy freaf fhe
seIl, loIIovIng HaIIoveII i,], nof as an Independenf
and aufonomous enfIfy accordIng fo fhe paradIgm ol
fhe Wesfern seIl] luf as fhaf reLexIve sense fhaf enalIes
fhe person fo dIsfInguIsh seIl-conscIousIy lefveen hIm-
or herseIl and everyfhIng eIse. The seIl creafes fhe lasIc
dIllerence fo vhIch aII ongoIng experIence Is sulordI-
nafed. ThIs reLexIve sense may aIso enfaII a sense ol
consIsfency and confInuIfy sImpIy lecause fhe lasIc
dIllerence persIsfs. The lasIc dIllerence lefveen myseIl
and everyfhIng eIse can le endoved vIfh dIllerIng
meanIngs, fransmIffed cuIfuraIIy or engendered ly fhe
experIences ol fhe IndIvIduaI IIle hIsfory. o maffer
vhefher fhe seIl Is represenfed as a quIfe aufonomous
and Independenf leIng, endoved vIfh agency, or as es-
senfIaIIy dependenf on ofhers, fhe lasIc dIllerence per-
sIsfs. AIfhough fhe meanIngs affrIlufed cuIfuraIIy fo
fhe seIl may fhus vary, lor exampIe, In ferms ol fhe de-
gree ol aufonomy If Is conceded, an ImpIIcIf generaI
meanIng ol fhIs mInImaIIy deLned seIl has fo le faIen
Info accounf: The reLexIve dIsfIncfIon lefveen fhe seIl
and everyfhIng eIse enfaIIs af Ieasf some agency. I un-
dersfand ''agency here as fhe alIIIfy fo acf on ones
ovn accounf aIfhough vIfh relerence fo ofhers], fhaf
Is, In Hannah Arendfs i,8] sense, as fhe capacIfy fo
faIe fhe InIfIafIve, fo maIe legInnIngs. ThIs under-
sfandIng cerfaInIy does nof IncIude fhe proposIfIons
fhaf acfIon Is unconsfraIned, commIffed vIfhouf regard
lor ofhers, and fhaf If Ieads fo fhe Infended oufcomes.
The acfuaIIfy ol fhIs mInImum ol agency may le ex-
pressed onIy negafIveIy In a consfanf concern nof fo
compIy vIfh fhe cuIfuraIIy gIven norm ol nor dIs-
pIayIng agency and IndIvIduaIIfy. Ceerfzs i,;j] exam-
pIe ol fhe sfage lrIghf fhaf pervades persons In BaII le-
cause fhey mur nor le pulIIcIy recognIzalIe as
IndIvIduaI seIves and acfors poInfs precIseIy fo fhe lacf
fhaf agency Is an InfegraI alIIIfy ol human leIngsan
alIIIfy vhIch confInuaIIy fhreafens fhe cuIfuraIIy es-
falIIshed norm ol nonIndIvIduaIIfy.
Whaf Is fhe reIafIon lefveen fhe seIl and Ifs IdenfI-
fIes Il fhe seIl assumes fhe IdenfIfy ol leIongIng fo fhe
ShIamy exampIeIf refaIns fhe sense ol remaInIng
dIsfIncf In fhaf If aIso assumes ofher IdenfIfIes nof
shared ly aII ShIIfes. The lacf ol sharIng IInshIp vIfh
SunnIs reLecfs upon ShIIfe IdenfIfy and franslorms Ifs
meanIng and vIce versa]. Dffe ronce franslormIng fhe
meanIng ol IdenfIfIes vorIs vIfhIn fhe seIl and confrIl-
ufes fo fhe sense ol dIsfIncfIon lefveen fhe seIl and ev-
eryfhIng eIse. nes ongoIng experIences are sul}ecf fo
fhIs sense ol seIl. The seIl, fhen, Is an Insfance superor-
dInafe fo fhough nof defached lrom] fhe pIuraIIfy ol
IdenfIfIes. Whereas fhese IdenfIfIes can le experIenced
as a pIuraIIfy, fhe seIl Is experIenced as one lecause If
Is fhe lrame fhaf guaranfees fhe confInuIfy on vhIch
fhe muIfIpIIcIfy ol IdenfIfIes Is InscrIled. Buf, af fhe
same fIme, Il fhe seIl Is IfseIl parf ol a dIllerence, fhen
If Is aIso sul}ecfed fo dffe ronce, fhaf Is, If Is confInu-
ousIy In mofIon and sul}ecf fo change.
The seIl Is nof passIve. If Is Imporfanf fo nofe fhe
agency dIspIayed ly fhe alIIIfy fo manage IdenfIfIes. AII
Hassan seIecfed cerfaIn modes ol acfIon and re}ecfed
ofhers. He pursued hIs acfIon up fo a cerfaIn poInf and
fhen fooI anofher furn e.g., In endIng fhe vIsIf]. He en-
gaged ofher persons In hIs acfIons. In my undersfandIng,
fhe reLecfIve sense ol fhe seIlol leIng dIsfInguIshed
lrom ofherscannof le separafed lrom fhIs agency. Be-
cause aII acfIon fhaf Is, fhe seIecfIon ol a cerfaIn mode
sc xcrcir Se|f, Idenrry, ond Cu|rure z
ol acfIon lrom a range ol possIlIIIfIes] Is accompanIed
ly a reLexIve monIforIng ol Ifs oufcomes CIddens
i,8], acfIng Is synonymous vIfh reconsfIfufIng fhe re-
LexIve sense ol fhe seIl.
AII Hassans sense ol seIl as exhIlIfed In hIs manage-
menf ol IdenfIfIes Is quIfe sfrong. HIs managemenf ol
IdenfIfIes Is lar-sIghfed and rafher IngenIous. He Is very
conscIous ol fhe dIllerIng and conLIcfIng demands
raIsed ly dIllerenf IdenfIfIes and frIes fo maIe hIs vay
vIfhouf leIng forn aparf ly fhem. I am quIfe sure fhaf
fhe lacf fhaf ve vere accompanIed fo apura ly Sher
Khan vas IfseIl an eIemenf ol AII Hassans IdenfIfy
managemenf. Sher Khan hImseIl had no Inferesf In fhe
vIsIf. HIs reIafIon vIfh NaIII Amman vas dIsfanf and
medIafed ly AII Hassan Sher Khan vas a pafernaI
cousIn ol AII Hassans vIle], and, leIng an Imporfanf
Ieader ol fhe ShIIfe communIfy, he vas much sfrIcfer
In reIafIons vIfh SunnIs fhan AII Hassan. The vIsIf dId
nof conler on hIm any symloIIc capIfaI or ofher gaIn
lecause fhIs veddIng vas nof a very represenfafIve
evenf. Rafher, If posed a physIcaI danger fo hIm, as he
had aIready leen fhreafened, and apura vas a vIIIage
vIfh a ma}orIfy ol SunnIs. !InaIIy, fhe vay he lehaved
durIng fhe vIsIf made hIm no lrIends. I presume fhaf AII
Hassan fooI Sher Khan vIfh hIm sImpIy In order fhaf
fhe lIame lor fhe lrIelness ol fhe meefIng and lor es-
chevIng fhe prescrIled profocoI vouId laII on Sher
Khan and nof on hImseIl. If vas Sher Khan vho aImosf
ImmedIafeIy alfer our arrIvaI sfarfed fo press lor our
quIcI deparfure. In fhe dIscussIon vIfh NaIII Amman
and SadIq alouf vhefher fo sfay or fo Ieave, AII Hassan
remaIned conspIcuousIy sIIenf. Here he prelerred fo ap-
pear nof fo le an agenf luf sImpIy fo le compIyIng vIfh
fhe decIsIon ol Sher Khan. When ve Ielf, he sImpIy loI-
Ioved Sher Khan vIfhouf much commenf. !urfher, AII
Hassan had scheduIed fhe vIsIf In such a vay as fo
evade fhe ImmedIafe quesfIon ol vhefher fo have a
meaI In fhe house ol NaIII Amman or nof. We arrIved
In fhe mornIng, and If vas cIear fhaf fhe meaI vouId
nof yef le ready lecause a veddIng meaI requIres con-
sIderalIe fIme lor Ifs preparafIon. llecfIveIy, AII Has-
san avoIded open conLIcf ly comIng fogefher vIfh Sher
Khan, vho ImmedIafeIy vanfed fo Ieave, and ly com-
Ing earIy enough fo le sure fhaf fhe meaI, so heavIIy
lurdened vIfh symloIIc confenf, couId nof quIcIIy le
served. He vas Inferesfed In fhe vIsIf lecause NaIII
Amman vas a cIose and esfeemed reIafIve, luf he had
fo faIe fhe reIIgIous dIllerence Info accounf.
NaIII Amman and hIs lamIIy aIso frIed fo manage
IdenfIfIes. They vere eager fo pIay dovn fhe reIIgIous
sIgnILcance ol fhe vIsIf. By InvoIIng fhe o||e boyr In
hIs prayer, SadIq even commIffed an acf ol oufrIghf seIl-
denIaI, lor fhaf Is vhaf sayIng such a prayer amounfs
fo lor a sfrIcf Wahali. And NaIII Ammans son, vhen
accompanyIng us fo fhe }eep, expIIcIfIy pIed lor dIsre-
gardIng fhe reIIgIous dIllerence and sImpIy acfIng as reI-
afIves Insfead. lvIousIy, he vas nof convInced ly Sher
Khans asserfIon fhaf ve had fo Ieave onIy lecause he
had fo affend a meefIng.
AII Hassans sfrafegy ol IdenfIfy managemenf en-
alIed hIm fo remaIn fo a cerfaIn exfenf IoyaI fo lofh
confradIcfIng IdenfIfIes. He vas IoyaI fo hIs reIafIves In
fhaf he vIsIfed fhem on fhe occasIon ol fhe veddIng,
and he vas IoyaI fo hIs reIIgIous communIfy In fhaf fhIs
vIsIf vas sfrIcfIy IImIfed and dId nof IncIude commen-
saIIfy across fhe lorders ol fhe secfs. Where veddIng
and hospIfaIIfy efIqueffe vas vIoIafed, If vas nof hIs
lauIf luf Sher Khans.
When ve dIscussed fhe vIsIf fhe nexf day, AII Hassan
enfered a second sfage ol seIl-represenfafIon. Here he
presenfed a consIsfenf seIl ly ellecfIveIy denyng con-
scIous ellorfs and sfrafegIes ol IdenfIfy managemenf.
He frIed fo represenf hImseIl sImpIy as sIncere and nof
as conscIousIy manIpuIafIng IdenfIfIes. AccordIng fo
hIm, ve dId nof Ieave In order fo eschev fhe compro-
mIsIng meaI. He even asserfed fhaf he couId have
sfayed unfII fhe meaI vas served and fhen parfaIen ol
If, sImpIy relusIng fhe meaf and eafIng onIy pIaIn
''soup. ThIs asserfIon Is ol course grofesque. A ved-
dIng meaI vIfhouf meaf Is no veddIng meaI af aII. Hos-
pIfaIIfy, In any case and even more so af a veddIng, re-
quIres fhaf fhe hosf oller hIs guesf fhe lesf pIeces and
pracfIcaIIy lorce fhe guesf fo faIe fhem. If vouId have
leen an InsuIf Il AII Hassan had re}ecfed precIseIy fhe
meaf vhIch NaIII Amman vas expecfed fo puf In espe-
cIaIIy rIch pIeces on hIs pIafe. In fhe confexf ol fhe ShI-
Ife-SunnI conLIcf, vhere everylody Inev vhaf vas af
sfaIe, fhaf re}ecfIon vouId have amounfed fo a pulIIc
reproach ol fhe hosf as a |o fr.
By oufIInIng fo me fhIs hypofhefIcaI sfrafegy ol par-
faIIng In fhe meaI vIfhouf consumIng meaf, AII Has-
san vas denyIng fo me fhaf ve had Ielf NaIII Ammans
house lecause ol reIIgIous consIderafIons. He vas fry-
Ing fo convInce me, as he had frIed fo convInce our
hosfs, fhaf our deparfure vas due onIy fo Sher Khans
olIIgafIons. ThIs vay ol InferprefIng hIs acfIon enalIed
AII Hassan fo presenf hImseIl as nof havIng succumled
fo fhe pIflaIIs ol conLIcfIng IdenfIfIes or fhe pressures
ol fhe conLIcf lefveen ShIIfes and SunnIs. AccordIng
fo hIs seIl-represenfafIon, hIs acfIon vas nof predefer-
mIned ly a LeId ol poIarIzed IdenfIfIes. He vas eager
fo dIspIay hIs agency, fhaf Is, hIs alIIIfy fo acf rafher
IndependenfIy In accordance vIfh hIs ovn vaIues and
mofIvafIons In a socIaI confexf heavIIy lurdened vIfh
consfraInfs on fhe range ol InferacfIon.
In AII Hassans case, fhe consIsfency ol fhe seIl resfs
on fhe alIIIfy fo descrIle ones acfIons and Ideas In a
more or Iess consIsfenf vayeven Il fhIs Is quesfIoned
ly an InferIocufor. Therelore, ve can speaI ol a norro
rve e|f. An Imporfanf eIemenf ol AII Hassans narra-
i. Thaf AII Hassan vas very conscIous ol vhaf had leen af sfaIe
on fhIs occasIon lecame olvIous vhen, a lev veeIs Iafer, fhe ved-
dIng ol one ol hIs ovn sons vas ceIelrafed. n fhaf day he and hIs
sons severaI fImes specuIafed alouf vhefher anyone lrom NaIII
Ammans lamIIy vouId affend fhe evenf. In fhe end no one came
lrom apura, luf NaIII Ammans second lrofher senf a }eep vIfh
a drIver fo fransporf AII Hassans lamIIy fo fhe house ol fhe lrIdes
lamIIy. They pracfIced fheIr ovn managemenf ol IdenfIfIes ly con-
frIlufIng somefhIng Imporfanf and hIghIy vaIued fo fhe ceIelrafIon
vIfhouf comIng foo cIose fo compromIsIng meaIs.
z6 cDvvci Ainvcicicc. Vo|ume o, Number , AugurOcrober 1,,,
fIve sfrafegy ol seIl-represenfafIon vas agency: He de-
cIded hov fo acf, choosIng hIs mode ol acfIon lrom a
numler ol avaIIalIe aIfernafIves. He couId even have
sfayed and parfaIen In fhe meaIeafIng onIy soup. The
narrafIve seIl resuIfs In fhe creafIon ol a personaI Image.
ThIs Image has fo reIafe fo fhe IdenfIfIes emlraced ly
fhe seIl. IdenfIfIes are Indeed connecfed vIfh ''gIven or
''shared Images such as sfereofypes, expecfafIons, and
roIes, luf fhe seIl Is nof exhausfed ly fhem. IdenfIfIes
can le consIdered as luIIdIng lIocIs lor fhe consfruc-
fIon ol an Image ol fhe seIl. These lIocIs are nof sImpIy
IaId as fhey are suppIIed luf are frImmed and gIven
lorms fhaf can le Incorporafed Info a more or Iess Infe-
grafed vhoIe. Thaf Is, IdenfIfIes are Inferprefed ly fhe
acfIng human leIng In specILc vays.
Ny descrIpfIon ol AII Hassans represenfafIon ol a
more or Iess consIsfenf seIl olvIousIy confradIcfs v-
Ings i,,o] depIcfIon ol such seIl-represenfafIons as II-
Iusory. !rom her conversafIons vIfh a young aIIsfanI
voman vho rapIdIy shIlfs fhrough an array ol confra-
dIcfory seIl-represenfafIons vhIIe faIIIng e.g., lrom an
oledIenf daughfer fo a seIl-asserfIve sfudenf] vIng
concIudes fhaf fhe seIl-experIence ol consIsfency Is an
IIIusIon lased on fhe lacf fhaf rupfures and shIlfs ol seIl-
represenfafIon are nof recognIzed ly fhe IndIvIduaI as
Iong as each represenfafIon Lfs approprIafeIy Info Ifs
parfIcuIar dIscursIve confexf. The IIIusory] experIence
ol vhoIeness and consIsfency ol fhe seIl fhen resfs on
a supposed ''sIIcIng ol confexfuaIIy dIllerenf] experI-
ences Info dIsconnecfed segmenfs. InconsIsfency vouId
enfer avareness, accordIng fo vIng, onIy Il fhIs confIn-
uous shIlfIng ol seIl accordIng fo cIrcumsfances vere
hampered or Il a seIl-represenfafIon vere fo conLIcf
vIfh fhe confexf In quesfIon.
Buf fhIs consIsfency-enalIIng sIIcIng ol experIence Is
possIlIe onIy as Iong as a IeveI ol pure dIscourse Is nof
fransgressed. vIngs InferIocufor can execufe her
shIlfs In seIl-represenfafIons vIfhouf lecomIng avare
ol InconsIsfencIes onIy so Iong as she Is speaIIng vIfh
her anfhropoIogIsf InfervIever, dIssocIafed lrom any so-
cIaI confexf ol pracfIcaI reIevance. Il she had perlormed
fhe same shIlfs ol seIl-represenfafIon In lronf ol her par-
enfs, fhey mIghf have sfrongIy remInded her fhaf fhere
Is a confradIcfIon lefveen fhe represenfafIon as oledI-
enf daughfer and fhe one as seIl-asserfIve sfudenf. Whaf
I am caIIIng lor payIng affenfIon fo In anfhropoIogIcaI
anaIysIs Is a represenfafIon ol fhe seIl fhaf emerges onIy
ofrer fhe conscIous experIence ol such conLIcfs In so-
cIaI InferacfIon. In confrasf fo fhe seIl-represenfafIons
vhIch I vouId caII ''IdenfIfIes] ol vIngs InferIocu-
for, AII Hassans seIl cannof avoId fhe conLIcf lefveen
leIng a reIafIve ol NaIII Amman and leIng a memler
ol a dIllerenf secf lecause he has fo deaI pracfIcaIIy vIfh
lofh. He couId do If In pure dIscourseas he dId ly as-
serfIng fhaf he couId have parfaIen In fhe meaI vhIIe
re}ecfIng fhe meafluf he couId nof do If In pracfIce.
Hovever, he vas dIspIayIng a seIl affempfIng fo deaI
precIseIy vIfh such confradIcfIons. Such a seIl couId
prolalIy le dIscovered In vIngs young voman Il she
vere accompanIed fhrough conLIcfuaI rocrco| mo-
menfs ol her IIlefhrough sIfuafIons In vhIch she
vouId perhaps le fryIng fo le an oledIenf daughfer luf
nonefheIess fo pursue hIgher educafIon and fo vorI.
The narrafIve seIl, fhe personaI Image deveIoped and
dIspIayed In such sIfuafIons, cerfaInIy cannof remaIn
fhe same. If Is franslormed as fhe acfor reIafes fo ofher
confexfs and fo ofher co-acfors, InfegrafIng hIm- or her-
seIl Info ofher nefvorIs. AcfIon resfrucfures socIaI reIa-
fIons and resuIfs In a reInferprefafIon ol socIaI confexfs,
and fhus fhe meanIng ol fhe dIsfIncfIon lrom ofhers
fhe reLexIve sense ol seIlchanges. The seIl Is nof dIs-
fInguIshed lrom aII ofhers In fhe same vay. The dIller-
ence IdenfIfy] dIsfInguIshIng AII Hassan lrom SunnIs Is
dIllerenf lrom fhe dIllerence dIsfInguIshIng hIm lrom
S