Dispute Resolution Mechanisms in Rural Society: A Sociological Study of Informal Justice

Despite the changes that have occurred in rural society, the impact of which has necessarily been reflected in daily life, and the emergence of new problems; it still has mechanisms for social control emanating from its customs, traditions ; and this is the focus of the research in revealing the mechanisms for resolving disputes in rural society and revealing the type of disputes in which informal justice is resorted to, and analyzing how to reach a settlement of disputes and implement them. The study relied on several concepts including (justice, informal justice, conflict, dispute resolution). The study also relied on the descriptive analytical approach through a case study of a sample of activists and actors in resolving rural disputes (arbitrators) or what they are called - in Bedouin and tribal society - customary judges, as well as on a number of rural cases that resorted to the issue of arbitration to solve their problems (twenty cases). The study relied on the qualitative method in its analysis. Most of the cases expressed their satisfaction with the intervention of mediators in settling simple problems, addressing the problem before it escalates, and maintaining friendly relations between the parties to the conflict. Many of them also expressed their satisfaction with the rulings issued by the customary councils.