Power, Politics And Development In The Arab Context: Or How Can Rearing Chicks Change Patriarchy?

The empowerment of women has become an interesting if troubling issue for debate and action in the Arab world. Since September 11 it has been difficult for Arabs to escape the simplistic and stereotypical misconstructions of their worlds, and there has been a growing resistance to ideas such as women’s empowerment. Such a resistance makes for a highly frustrating and antagonistic climate to feminism and women’s empowerment initiatives. Hania Sholkamy offers a personal analysis of why women in the Arab world attract attention as victims of an unfair social order and yet repel the advances of those who would work to over turn this social order to ‘save’ them.