Patriarchy: Men's Dominance & Power in Society - Research Paper

Introduction

Patriarchy can be defined as a social system where men, respectively, hold the predominance and primary roles and power. These roles and power are such as property control, social privilege, moral authority, and political leadership. Most of the patriarchal societies can be defined as a patrilineal society where the lineage of men inherits titles and property. Patriarchy is established on a patriarchal set of ideas that justifies and explains the mentioned above inheritance and dominance of the intrinsic difference between women and men. According to most sociologists, patriarchy is a product of the society, but not an innate outcome of differences between men and women and that patriarchy focuses on how societal gender roles affect the differences of power between the two exes. Historically among various cultures, patriarchy has depicted itself through religious, legal, economic, social, and political organizations. Patriarchal is practiced by almost every contemporary society even though it's not outlined in their laws and constitutions. This research paper is focused on analyzing how patriarchy has used culture, religion, traditions, politics, economic factors, or colonialism to oppress women. In turn, how have women in the Middle East responded to their oppression? Have they contributed to patriarchy? Or, have they circumvented patriarchy in their creative ways? Or, have they stood against and challenged patriarchy?

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Islam, Patriarchy, and Feminism in the Middle East

Until in the recent century, the topic of women's roles and status in Muslim societies and social orders was significantly dismissed. Studies inspired by the western regions of the Muslim world referenced women in passing, yet sensationalistic and stereotyped ways, while the central part of local studies about Islam women comprised of information of the "right" women positions in the society, including, best case scenario, instructive manuals on the correct way on how they should live a modern pious life. Various pieces of literature that have studied sex-disaggregated and women studies mostly are associated with data limitation in the past ages. But this issue of lack of thorough social research concerning women and gender studies started to be remedied since the 1970s, and women scholarships in Muslim cultures had expanded widely. The 1990s saw a blast of expounding on women's pieces of literature, which is progressing, just like the development in the quantity of intrigued researchers who address issues of Islam religion and gender. As assumed by most, the issue of sexism and patriarchy in the Middle East is rooted in either religion, race, or hate. Though its more in-depth than that. According to Eltahawy in foreign policy provocative cover story, misogyny has grown to be so deeply rooted in the Middle East societies that are not only a women war but also a force destroying the societies and economies in these countries.

According to Abu-Lughod, in her compelling and elegantly written book, "Do Muslim Women Need Saving?" "It is never easy to cleanly distinguish freedom and duty, consent and bondage, choice, and compulsion." (p.110). Thus, depicting the fact that the attempt of people especially feminists trying to swoop in and save the women in Muslim societies because they believe these women live in violent and oppressive are doing a lot of harm rather than good. Abu-Lughod argues that women in the Middle East suffer mostly from globalization inequities rather than the issue of patriarchy. As stipulated by Rahman, in the Islamic religion, there is no particular difference between the two genders as long as Allah's relationship is regarded. This is because both women and men are to receive similar good behavior conduct and evil conduct reward and punishment, respectively. The Quran rebukes the ill-treatment or oppression of women by men in society. It says, "O you who believe! You are forbidden to inherit women against their will. Nor should you treat them with harshness, that you may take away part of the dowry you have given them - except when they have become guilty of open lewdness. On the contrary, live with them on a footing of kindness and equity. If you take a dislike to them, it may be that you dislike something and Allah will bring about through it a great deal of good." (Noble Quran 4:19). The same countries following the ideologies of the Quran forbid women in interacting in gender-mixed places, and their freedom to move or do anything freely is restricted under their fathers, husbands, or guardian's permissions (Faulkner-Jones). As a result, instead of being exposed to various significant opportunities, for example, education as men, women are confined in performing home roles (Rifaat).

According to Lerner, patriarchy was created basing on how behavior and roles considered appropriately to men and women were based on customs, social, values, and laws roles. Also, the societal roles and status were expressed in a metaphorical manner, which in the end resulted in an explanatory system and cultural construct. Women's sexuality that comprises of their productive services and capacities and sexuality was commodified even before the western civilization creation. On that account, whether it is misogynism or globalization inequities, patriarchy in the Middle East has used culture, religion, traditions, politics, economic factors, or colonialism to oppress women. However, in covering the topic of women and gender studies in the Middle East, it is essential to take into consideration women's rights progression over the years. Family network value, the role of Islamic law, the variation of personal or family status law in the region, or the religious, indigenous practices that shape the cultural ways. This is because the topic of gender, women, and Islam is a controversial issue in the Middle East and has a multifaceted point of view (El Saadawi). On one side, Islam is historically praised for liberating the women's roles and status in the society while, on the other hand, Islam or other societal practices in the Middle East regions lowers women's status in the society and inferior their rights while giving the men superiority. As others see it as a duty, choice, and consent, others respond to the women's position in the society as oppressive and violent, thus the creation of multiple Islamic Feminism organizations and movements in the region (Faulkner-Jones). The main aim of these feminism movements is to improve Muslim women's lives effectively.

One example of good feminist Islamic activists is Abu-Lughod, who, as mentioned above, supports the ideologies of Muslims as a religion and also the works of rights of women in the society rather than just criticizing the Quran. Another Islamic feminists' activists in the Middle East Northern Africa (MENA) region are the Iranian feminists who are fighting to gain back their power as women in the society through policies re-Islamization in Iran (Faulkner-Jones). The Iranian feminist has accomplished this, for example, by working on ijtihad and tafsir Islamic processes that summarize to religious sources, independent investigation, and Quran interpretation, respectively. Even though it may take a while for them to attain full equality with men in society, the Iranian feminists making steps to gain more citizenships. Other feminism movements making a difference in the MENA regions include the Musawah movement, which is trying to reimage the sharia law.

Conclusion

In conclusion, throughout the above glance in issues related to Islam, feminism, and patriarchy in the Middle East, we can conclude that this is a multifaceted topic among various people. Though with the introduction of feminists movements in the region, there is hope and success for equality advancement for the Muslim women who live under the Islam ideologies.

Work Cited

Abu-Lughod, Lila. Do Muslim women need saving? Harvard University Press, 2013.

El Saadawi, Nawal. "Eyes." Index on Censorship 18.2 (1989): 25-28.

Faulkner-Jones, Jennifer. "Letting Go of the Veil: Sites for Islamic Feminist Intervention in Saudi Arabia." IU South Bend Undergraduate Research Journal 16 (2016): 168-173.

Lerner, Gerda. The creation of patriarchy. Vol. 1. Oxford University Press, USA, 1986.

Rahman, Abdur. "Women in the Quran and the Sunnah." (n.d). Retrieved from; http://www.islamswomen.com/articles/women_in_quran_and_sunnah.php

Rifaat, Alifa. "Who will be the Man." Trans. Elise Goldwasser and Miriam Cooke. In Margot Badran and Miriam Cooke, eds. Opening the Gates: A Century of Arab Feminist Writing. London: Virago Press (1990): 74-77.