On the Compatibility of Islam and Gender Equality

Spierings, Niels; Smits, Jeroen; Verloo, M.M.T.

doi:10.1007/s11205-008-9274-z

Cited by 66 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…This seems contradictory, because much has been reported about restrictions on women's rights in Saudi Arabia (e.g., the Saudi government only recently changed its policy on women driving a car), while Northern European countries have a reputation for progressiveness (including female participation in national politics). Apart from other academic research showing that "Islam, democracy and gender equality are not inherently incompatible" ([37], p. 518), three critically important points should be noted here.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

A simplified approach to measuring national gender inequality

Stoet

Geary

2019

PLoS ONE

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The Global Gender Gap Index is one of the best-known measures of national gender inequality, used by both academics and policy makers. We argue that that this measure has a number of problems and introduce a simpler measure of national levels of gender inequality. Our proposed measure is based on sex differences in the opportunity to lead a long healthy and satisfied life that is grounded on educational opportunities. The measure better captures variation in gender inequality than other measures, with inclusion of outcomes that can be favorable or unfavorable to either sex, not simply unfavorable to women. We focus on some of the most basic measures available for 134 countries from 2012–2016 (i.e., disadvantages in children’s basic education, life satisfaction, and healthy life span) and we relate these to various measures, including the United Nations' Human Development Index. We found that low levels of human development are typically associated with disadvantages for girls and women, while medium and high levels of development are typically associated with disadvantages for boys and men. Countries with the highest levels of human development are closest to gender parity, albeit typically with a slight advantage for women. We argue that the disparities, when they are found, are related to the sexual division of labor (i.e., traditional gender roles) in poorly developed countries as well as the underinvestment in preventative health care in more developed nations.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

A simplified approach to measuring national gender inequality

Stoet

Geary

2019

PLoS ONE

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“…This focus on univocal and linear socialization portrays Muslims as solely passive beings who unquestioningly internalize patriarchal norms to which they are exposed (Glas, Spierings, and Scheepers 2018). We veer away from these Orientalist depictions by studying how Islam may be combined with support for women’s rights using a framework that centers (1) Muslims’ agency and (2) the heterogeneity within the region (Alexander and Parhizkari 2018; Spierings, Smits, and Verloo 2009; also see Said 1978).…”

Section: A Context-dependent Agency Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Explaining Support for Muslim Feminism in the Arab Middle East and North Africa

Glas

Alexander

2020

Gender & Society

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Public debates depict Arabs as opposed to gender equality because of Islam. However, there may be substantial numbers of Arab Muslims who do support feminist issues and who do so while being highly attached to Islam. This study explains why certain Arabs support feminism while remaining strongly religious (“Muslim feminists”). We propose that some Arab citizens are more likely to subvert patriarchal norms, especially in societies that construct Islam and feminism as more compatible. Empirically, we apply three-level multinomial analyses to 51 Arab Barometer and World Values Surveys, which include 57,000 Arab Muslims. Our results show that one in four Arab Muslims supports Muslim feminism—far more than those who support a more secularist version of feminism. Employed women, single people, people who distrust institutions, and more highly educated people support Muslim feminism more than do others—especially in societies that construct feminism and Islam as less contradictory, such as those with strong feminist movements. The presumption that Islam and feminism are necessarily opposed may hinder feminism. A more effective way to boost gender equality in the Arab region may be to embolden emancipatory religious interpretations.

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“…The study also highlights the difficulties and complexities of gender in theocracies, which impose severe restrictions on women. Although there is a belief that Islam believes in spiritual equality of men and women (Kazemi, ), this notion of equality is rarely reflected in many of the laws in Muslim‐based institutions (Spierings, Smits, & Verloo, ). Male preeminence is a characteristic of many Muslim countries where women are denied a place in public life.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Deciphering Islamic theocracy and tourism: Conceptualization, context, and complexities

Seyfi

Hall

2019

Journal of Tourism Research

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International tourism development in theocratic structures where Islam exercises considerable influence over social, political, and regulatory systems embodies a range of challenges, complexities, and conflicts. Against this backdrop, this paper aimed at exploring the interactions between Islamic theocracy and tourism via an interpretivist approach. Saudi Arabia and Iran are both recognized as countries with a theocratic system of governance and serve as distinctive tourism destinations that provide cases for exploring the interaction between tourism and theocratic institutions and the implications for tourism practice. The study identified several key areas of theocratic influence on tourism, namely, policy‐making, marketing, and gender, and highlighted the complexities of developing tourism outside of pilgrimage and religious travel in theocratic environments. Theocratic conceptualization of governance alongside a framework for understanding the linkages between Islamic theocracy and tourism and implications of such connections are also proposed.

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On the Compatibility of Islam and Gender Equality

Cited by 66 publications

References 31 publications

A simplified approach to measuring national gender inequality

A simplified approach to measuring national gender inequality

Explaining Support for Muslim Feminism in the Arab Middle East and North Africa

Deciphering Islamic theocracy and tourism: Conceptualization, context, and complexities

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