Research Assignment: Women's Rights in Saudi Arabia

Transcription

1 - Matthew Unangst - Fall 2017 Research Assignment: Women's Rights in Saudi Arabia RA #1: Women in Saudi Arabia are oppressed in a multitude of ways in their everyday lives. One of the most striking way is that women have been banned from driving. However, according to this article, guardianship laws are the basis of the gender inequality in Saudi Arabia. Women are unable to do simple tasks such as purchasing a passport, traveling abroad, renting an apartment, purchasing a car, taking a job, getting married and even undergoing a medical procedure without the consent of a male guardian. A male guardian could be a father, husband, son and possibly a brother or uncle. Laws in Saudi Arabia are based off of the most conservative form of Islamic Shariah which other primarily muslim county's do not enforce. Batrawy, A. (2017, May 21). Young or old, saudi women live under male relatives' control. Philadelphia Tribune Retrieved from My preliminary geographic focus is on Saudi Arabia inequality, Hist*, guardianship, Islam This topic relates to the theme of inequality because women in Saudi Arabia have very few rights compared to men and they are treated as more of an object than a human being. This also relates to the theme of conflict because the lack of inequality in this country is a big problem that individuals and organizations are working to combat and many people suffer from it every day. QA: When did women start being looked at as a piece of property rather than a human being and person of equal potential? QB: How has a woman's place in society changed in Saudi Arabia throughout changes in leadership? 1 / 8

2 - Matthew Unangst - Fall 2017 RA #2: 1A: Bowen, Wayne H. The History of Saudi Arabia. Second ed. Greenwood Histories of the Modern Nations. Santa Barbara, California: Greenwood, Location: Holland/Terrell Libraries Call Number: DS204.B685 Permalink: 51&context=L&vid=WSU&search_scope=WSU_Pullman&tab=default_tab&lang=en_US 1B: Joseph, Suad., and Slyomovics, Susan. Women and Power in the Middle East. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, Location: Holland/Terrell Libraries Call Number: HQ W659 Permalink: 51&context=L&vid=WSU&search_scope=WSU_Pullman&tab=default_tab&lang=en_US 2A: Kucinskas, Jaime. "A Research Note on Islam and Gender Egalitarianism: An Examination of Egyptian and Saudi Arabian Youth Attitudes." Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 49, no. 4 (2010): B: Sakr, Naomi. "Women and Media in Saudi Arabia: Rhetoric, Reductionism and Realities." British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies 35, no. 3 (2008): / 8

3 - Matthew Unangst - Fall 2017 How does Islamic Shariah contribute to the oppression women face in Saudi Arabia currently and in the past? RA #3 1. I limited it it to pre The source I chose is a Newspaper article from the New York Times written at the time being discussed. The article was written to inform people in the US and other parts of the world how life for women in Saudi Arabia differs from life for women in other countries in the Middle East, specifically Islamic countries. From what I can tell the author is the complete opposite from those she is writing about in her article. She is not living in either of the countries discussed but she is a woman. However, she lives a very different life than the women in the article since she is in the workforce and had the same right as men. There were few assumptions made since she was writing about an interview she had with a women experiencing the circumstances first hand. The author may have assumed how the oppression made women in Saudi Arabia feel or how the countries as wholes feel. 3. Audrey Toppings, "For Women in 2 Arab Nations Road to Equality if Different",The New York Times, January 14th 1975, Annotated Bibliography Batrawy, Aya. "Young Or Old, Saudi Women Live Under Male Relatives' Control." Philadelphia Tribune, May 21, This article gave a clear insight to the oppression women is Saudi Arabia face in their daily life. They are unable to do many things such as drive a car, rent an apartment, get a job, travel abroad, or undergo a medical procedure without the permission of a male guardian. Those are all things women in most other counties, even other middle eastern countries, wouldn't need the permission of anyone else for. The article also gave me a better understanding to how these laws affect the women mentally. This will be useful in comparing life of Saudi Arabian women now to those many years back to see how things have changed. Bowen, Wayne H. The History of Saudi Arabia. Second ed. Greenwood Histories of the Modern Nations. Santa Barbara, California: Greenwood, I chose this monograph to be able to better understand the history of Saudi Arabia. Before this project I had little knowledge about Saudi Arabia other than current events I have heard or read about. To get to the roots of the issue I chose I need to know more about the country's history. From the information have gathered so far, one cause of the oppression for women may be the 3 / 8

4 - Matthew Unangst - Fall 2017 country's leadership. This source will allow me to look back of the Saudi Arabia's rulers and see how they each have shaped the country. After looking into the country's history more I will have a better understanding of why it is the way it is today. Joseph, Suad., and Slyomovics, Susan. Women and Power in the Middle East. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, This monograph will allow me to gain knowledge about a women role in society in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia. Other sources have helped me understand how women live in Saudi Arabia in the present day. However, this will help me compare a woman's role now to a women role going back in time. The book also has information about other middle eastern countries which will be helpful in seeing see how Saudi Arabia differs from other Islamic countries. There is also information on women's activist in the Middle East. I can use this information to see the work they have done and if it has any effect of the daily life on women. Kucinskas, Jaime. "A Research Note on Islam and Gender Egalitarianism: An Examination of Egyptian and Saudi Arabian Youth Attitudes." Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 49, no. 4 (2010): I chose this journal article to gain on understanding on how the youth in Saudi Arabia view the gender inequality in their country. In many other countries youth tend to be more progressive in their thinking which will bring bout change in the future. By seeing if this is the case in Saudi Arabia I might be able to Infer what is the cause of this progressiveness. Then in turn see if it has had any effect on present day conditions. The attitudes of youth will have a great affect on the future of Saudi Arabia, specifically the women there. Sakr, Naomi. "Women and Media in Saudi Arabia: Rhetoric, Reductionism and Realities." British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies 35, no. 3 (2008): This journal article will allow me to look into the medias portrayal of women in Saudi Arabia. The medias portrayal of women will have a big effect on how others feel about the issues. Whether or not it is a positive or negative depiction of women many people who read it will allow it to effect their opinion on women or gender inequality. This could be a potential cause of the unequal right in Saudi Arabia. If the media continues to depict women as less than men than it could be keeping up the idea in the country. This could possibly help me get to the roots of this issue. By AUDREY TOPPING Special to The New,York Times. "For Women in 2 Arab Nations Road to Equality is Different." New York Times (1923-Current File), Jan 14, I chose this primary source to again see how women's life in Saudi Arabia differs from women in other middle eastern countries. A woman from Kuwait explains how she has many more freedoms 4 / 8

5 - Matthew Unangst - Fall 2017 than Saudi Arabian women. She is still controlled in any aspects by her husband but she able to make many decisions for herself such as how she dresses and where she goes. The article then goes onto explain how women is Saudi Arabia do not have such luxuries. However, it is mentioned how women are now able to get an education. Women were not able to receive an education before the current King came into power. This also points to leadership being the root of this issue. The roots of gender inequality in Saudi Arabia can be traced back to the country's leadership as well as the medias portrayal of the issue. RA 4: Essay Title: The Roots of Women's Rights in Saudi Arabia Since Saudi Arabia was founded in 1932 women have faced an immense amount of oppression that has not improved. The issue can be traced back to their government and government figures and the direct ties to the Islamic religion. I. Presently, women in Saudi Arabia are unable to do many activities that to women in most other countries would seem mundane. A. According to Aya Batrawy women are unable to rent an apartment, travel abroad, undergo a medical procedure, and get a job without a male guardian ¹. i. These laws come from the most conservative form of the islamic Shariah. ii. None of the other islamic countries enforce these guardianship rules. iii. The form that they practice is called Saudi Law. B. These strict laws have a great impact on these women mentally. i. They feel that they have to depend on others to do almost everything ii. In many cases these women have to seek permission from their son in which they raised which makes them feel powerless a. "Naila Mohammed Saleh Nasief, an outspoken 96-year-old, finds it frustrating and humorous that her son has been her guardian for the past three decades"¹. II. bn Saud was the first monarch of Saudi Arabia and came into power in 1932². A. The power in Saudi Arabia has not left one single family in 85 years. 5 / 8

6 - Matthew Unangst - Fall 2017 i. They are all of the same religion and have kept the same ideals since the beginning of their rule. III. Saudi Arabia was founded on September 23rd 1932 [3]. A. Saudi Arabia houses the most important city in the Islamic religion. i. Mecca is located in Saudi Arabia and draws muslims from all over the world. ii. With Mecca being in Saudi Arabia it increases the amount of power religious officials have of the government. IV. Though Saudi women are allowed to attend school much less of them do compared to men, according to Patrick Ensor. A. Women are also segregate at schools in Saudi Arabia. i. Boys are allowed to participate in extracurricular activities whereas girls are not. a. The chairman at an all girls school claims that this allows, " both women teachers and girl to have more time for their studies" [4]. B. Women often describe themselves as prisoners in their own home however men would object to this by stating how a women's nature is to perform these tasks and that she belong in a home. C. The author also gives a quote from an administrator saying, " There is nothing in the Koran that says women must wear a veil or can not work alongside men." i. The government claims to get many of their laws straight from the koran but if you actually look at rules such as these are not mentioned. The government is creating these senseless laws just to make women feel powerless and inferior to men. V. Audrey Toppings article looks at the life of women in two Arab countries and how they differ[5]. A. One woman in Kuwait lives a very free life in which she can have a job and wear whatever she wished and doesn't have to ask her husband for permission. i. She says her husband is a very religious man and that they practice what is said in the Koran but it does not restrict her everyday activities. B. Women in Saudi Arabia practice from the same religion that comes from the Koran yet they have little to none of the freedoms the women in Kuwait do. 6 / 8

7 - Matthew Unangst - Fall 2017 VI. Nora Pharaon argues that the role of religion in Saudi Arabia is playing a big role on the lack of advancements for women [6]. A. Islamic leaders are playing a large role on the laws being passes in the Saudi government. i. The government is not willing to stray from tradition which is holding the country back in term of women rights. B. There is little distinction between church and state and neither are interested in breaking this bond. VII. "Women and Media in Saudi Arabia: Rhetoric, Reductionism and Realities", by Naomi Sakr evaluated how the media has made an impact on the role of women in society in Saudi Arabia [7]. A. Saudi Arabia has started revealing more and more about their country through the media which has allowed the rest of the world to gain an understanding. i. Even though the world has seen how terrible life for Saudi women is they haven't been able to make that big of an impact or change. ii. The author believes that this is due to the harsh control the religious leaders have on the government. VIII. Jaime Kucinskas looked into how the Saudi Arabian youth feel about the state of their country and women rights [8]. A. The Saudi youth is much more progressive than the older members of society. i. Young Saudi Arabian girls specifically want to see a change in the gender equality and are more willing to challenge their religion. ii. The youth are the future of the country and since they want to see change there is hope that one day women will be seen as equals in the eyes of men. Conclusion: For the past nearly Hundred years Saudi Arabia has been ruled by the Saud family which has been strongly influenced by the leaders of the the Islamic religion who infuse strict teachings from the Quran that enforce male dominance. [1] Batrawy, Aya. "Young Or Old, Saudi Women Live Under Male Relatives' Control." Philadelphia Tribune, May 21, [2] Joseph A. Kechichian, A Succession In Saudi Arabia (New York : Palgrave, 2001). 7 / 8

8 Powered by TCPDF ( - Matthew Unangst - Fall 2017 [3] Wayne H. Bowen, The History of Saudi Arabia. Second ed.( Santa Barbara, California: Greenwood, 2015). [4] Patrick Ensor, " Saudi Women's long march from behind the veil,"the Times,1974. [5] Audrey Toppings, Special to The New,York Times. "For Women in 2 Arab Nations Road to Equality is Different." [6] Nora Pharaon, "Saudi Women and the Muslim State in the Twenty-First Century." Sex Roles, no.5 (2004): [7] Naomi Sakr, " Women and Media in Saudi Arabia: Rhetoric, Reductionism and Realities,"British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies 35, no. 3 (2008) [8] Jamie J. Kucinskas, " A Research Note on Islam and Gender Egalitarianism: An Examination of Egyptian and Saudi Arabian Youth Attitudes," Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 49, no. 4 (2010): / 8