Renegotiating Feminist Praxis in the Arabian Gulf

Abstract

In countries where there is an absence of social activism and formal civil society, and where overt demands for women's citizenship rights are met with suspicion and resistance, what alternative strategies are available to mobilize women and induce social and legal reform toward gender equity? One strategy that has demonstrated effectiveness is to use legitimate, state-sanctioned institutions as vehicles for change. Due to the Gulf states' firm commitment and increasing investment in women's education, it would seem that integrating gender studies into research and pedagogy within academic institutions in the Gulf would be an obvious avenue for women's empowerment. Drawing on theories of the trans-formative potential of education for social change, weaving gender issues into popular education may offer an effective conduit for consciousness-raising among today's youth. Whether taught as separate, stand-alone programs or integrated into various (more traditional) disciplines, gendering curricula fosters liberatory pedagogy that empowers learners through active and responsive learning methodologies. This article will discuss best practices for women's empowerment through alternative channels, ranging from gendering of curricula in higher education to partnering with local academic institutions and women's groups to examine gender issues of specific contextual relevance. Given the dearth of local gender studies scholarship, academics and activists find themselves having to navigate uncharted territory as they appropriate culturally resonant symbols to reframe gender issues within a local context.

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