Challenges of Middle Eastern Women
Challenges of Middle Eastern Women
ANT101
Ashford
August 2, 2010
Abstract There are many abuses that women in the Middle East face as part of everyday life. This paper will focus what those abuses consist of, why they exist, and what types of things are being done to help women realize their full potential. However, just as has been the case in other parts of the world, the transition to equality for women can occur at a very slow pace.
Challenges of Middle Eastern Women There are many challenges that face women in any part of the world. Women in the Middle East face an especially long list of challenges as a result of their culture and the interpretation of Islamic law. These cultural challenges are as old as the region itself. Many of these challenges create limitations that women must operate within. Could the challenges that Middle Eastern women face also limit the culture and region as a whole? What could the Middle East accomplish if half of its members were allowed to be as productive as their male counterparts?
Brief History of the Region It is necessary to look at the culture of the Middle East as a whole. There is a long and rich history that is found in the part of the world known as the Middle East. The Semitic people originated from the Arabian Peninsula. These people are responsible for the first civilizations, three major religions, and a set of cultural practices that survive today. The Semitic people’s three most important times are: the growth of Mesopotamia four thousand years ago, the increase in Christianity and Judaism two thousand years ago, and the rapid expansion of Islam fifteen hundred years ago. The last one of these is what has given rise to the religion and culture that we find synonymous with this region today (Hooker, 1996). It is believed that the pre-Islamic Middle East was a much different place for women than what will be discussed later in this paper. The next major time period in the Middle
ANT101
Ashford
August 2, 2010
Abstract There are many abuses that women in the Middle East face as part of everyday life. This paper will focus what those abuses consist of, why they exist, and what types of things are being done to help women realize their full potential. However, just as has been the case in other parts of the world, the transition to equality for women can occur at a very slow pace.
Challenges of Middle Eastern Women There are many challenges that face women in any part of the world. Women in the Middle East face an especially long list of challenges as a result of their culture and the interpretation of Islamic law. These cultural challenges are as old as the region itself. Many of these challenges create limitations that women must operate within. Could the challenges that Middle Eastern women face also limit the culture and region as a whole? What could the Middle East accomplish if half of its members were allowed to be as productive as their male counterparts?
Brief History of the Region It is necessary to look at the culture of the Middle East as a whole. There is a long and rich history that is found in the part of the world known as the Middle East. The Semitic people originated from the Arabian Peninsula. These people are responsible for the first civilizations, three major religions, and a set of cultural practices that survive today. The Semitic people’s three most important times are: the growth of Mesopotamia four thousand years ago, the increase in Christianity and Judaism two thousand years ago, and the rapid expansion of Islam fifteen hundred years ago. The last one of these is what has given rise to the religion and culture that we find synonymous with this region today (Hooker, 1996). It is believed that the pre-Islamic Middle East was a much different place for women than what will be discussed later in this paper. The next major time period in the Middle
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