Gender glob

Despite Arab and Muslim countries (the Middle east/West Asia includes Israel) showing tremendous diversity of social classes, ethnic groups, religious affiliations, linguistic differences, an aspect of the gendered lives of people namely the “politics of veiling” has been intensely debated and discussed around the world.

Describe how authors Abu-Lughod (2002), Mahmood (2009) help us understand the “politics of the veil”? How does globalization (war on terror) construct or impact notions of the “west”/freedom/democracy/gender inequality?

Abu Lughod, Lila. 2002. “Do Muslim women really need saving? Anthropological Reflections on Cultural Relativism and its Other.” Ethics Forum. https://org.uib.no/smi/seminars/Pensum/Abu-Lughod.pdf

Mahmood, Saba. 2009. “Feminism, Democracy, and Empire: Islam and the War on Terror.” Chapter 8 in Gendering Religion and Politics: Untangling Modernities: 193-216. http://biblioteca-alternativa.noblogs.org/files/2011/02/Mahmood-Feminism-democracy-and-empire2.pdf

 View following sources (short clips) to understand the readings:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEw4Kt0sd0g (Afghanistan/Mujahedeen)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mv1xZ_Nusgo (Laura Bush)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYAM7gMEd1g (Do Muslim Women Need Saving? – Lila Abu-Lughod)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxhNq6WzEYg (Islamic Law and Muslim Women – Aziz al-Hibri)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ee8MomymrOU (A feminist revolution in the Middle East? Mona Eltahawy and Saba Mahmood debate)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Z0DB2XOoHc​ (Mona Eltahawy and Leila Ahmed discuss FP “Why Do They Hate US” piece)

 

Note: In your response first map out how each of these authors give us the historical, political and social context to understand the discourse/”politics” of veiling. Summarize ideas of authors (main points of the article and NOT JUST ONE OR TWO SENTENCES PASTED) before taking a position (or citing other sources).