Women's Rights and Representation in Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Turkey: The Patriarchal Domination of Religious Interpretations

Roumaissaa Tailassane

OAI: oai:digitalcommons.ursinus.edu:int_hon-1005

This research paper is divided into three case studies: Saudi Arabia, Iran and Turkey. The main focus of the paper is to examine barriers to women's economic and political participation as well as the limits on their rights within the family and society. All three case studies are Muslim-majority countries. The paper argues that the subordination of women is not intrinsic to Islam but stems from patriarchal interpretations of Islam by religious authorities working in conjunction with autocratic political leaders. Furthermore, the paper analyzes cultural, political, and economic explanations for limits on women's rights in these Muslim-majority countries and shows how each of these explanations apply to Saudi Arabia, Iran and Turkey. Despite variations within and among the pluralistic societies of the region as well as the distinct histories of each country, patriarchal cultures developed by and for male religious and political elites lead to restrictions on women's economic and political participation. Recommendations include increasing the number of women in religious bureaucracies and in government.

Islam Saudi Arabia Iran Turkey women's rights Women's Representation Patriarchal Interpretations Cultural economic Political Middle East and North Africa Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies International Relations Political Science Social and Behavioral Sciences Women's Studies