This section concentrates on the transfer of property from one generation to the next. Considering general socio-economic trends in the Jabal Nablus region, chapter 2 is introductory in several senses. It introduces four women, Imm Sālim, Imm Shākir, Imm Hilmī and Imm Muhammad by presenting their topical life stories and in this way acquaints us with the women whose inheritance and dower practices will be considered in later chapters. Their stories personalise the historical transformation of Palestine, while the accompanying texts on the history of the specific localities where they live – the village of Al-Balad, the city of Nablus and the Balata refugee camp – contextualise their stories. Chapter 2 introduces the major shifts in property relations. Since most property is male owned and controlled, women's direct access to property is only touched upon; terms such as landowner, peasant and so on refer here to men, unless stated otherwise. In fact, the material presented indicates the importance of men, both husband and kin, to the general socio-economic security of women. This is all the more so as none of the four women considered here is formally employed. (Women's access to property through paid labour will be addressed in part III.)