<em>Tribes in Libya:</em> From Social Organization to Political Power

Abstract

The war in Libya is currently one of the major issues in news and political analyses. A main topic arises when considering the Libyan revolution against Muammar Qaddafi’s regime is the role of tribes in this revolution. Many analysts consider the tribes to be central actors in either activating the revolution or suppressing it. In this context, some questions could be raised about the real weight of tribes in Libya, and how and why the tribes transformed from being traditional social organizations to becoming central political actors? Will the tribal system have a political role in Libya after Qaddafi? This paper seeks to examine the position of tribes in the social and political structures of the Libyan State and thereby shed light on some aspects of the current Libyan war.