SOCIOLOGICAL AND SYMBOLIC FAMILY PROCESSES IN THE STRUCTURE OF ORPHANAGES IN EGYPT

Orphans stand in an intriguing socio-cultural space. Their place in Egyptian society is in the interstices of honour, ambiguity, and shame. This research draws on ethnographic work gathered by the author in the environs of Cairo. The data point to further ways to understand gender roles in an institutionalized family setting. How are girls' orphanages visualized by their own administrators in terms of family values? How are they organized in relation to the premises of the state? These and other such questions address the role of orphaned girls in Egypt in the 21st century. This study sheds light on a timely research topic, one which resonates beyond the situation of contemporary Egypt to address women's and family issues elsewhere.