tribal spat

'tribal spat' is ciee's euphemism for the reason our classes have been cancelled both last thursday and now today. the concept of families or tribes is still very strong in jordanian society, and thus it's easy for disagreements between individuals to become larger issues of family honor that all members must protect (and sometimes avenge). thus, the stabbing that occurred at a different university in another part of amman last thursday quickly led to fights breaking out on my university's campus between other members of the same extended families. tribal laws of honor dictate that the victim's family must act in response, but in modern times its common that the family leaders officially turn the matter of justice over to the government's legal system rather than the tribal system. however even despite this tensions are high, and thus we get the day off classes :)