The Politics of Engaged Gender Research in the Arab Region

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A critical analysis of knowledge production about women in the Arab region is essential for fostering social change. This volume, authored by Arab women researchers, explores how knowledge is generated and how it shifts when conducted by local women. It delves into the structural conditions influencing lives in the Arab region, including the impacts of imperialism, settler colonialism, neoliberal economies, racial capitalism, securitization, and entrenched patriarchal ideologies. The contributors reflect on these dynamics in relation to their research experiences and daily lives, allowing them to move beyond hegemonic frameworks in gender studies. By theorizing from a local context, they produce knowledge that challenges dominant academic discourses, critiques the notion of 'Arab exceptionalism,' and questions liberal feminisms. This approach, termed 'engaged gender research,' advocates for a transformative methodology that critically examines the historical, political, economic, and social contexts of gender studies. Covering countries such as Morocco, Tunisia, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, and the Arab Gulf, the book posits that this feminist research paradigm will significantly reshape our understanding of women, gender, and the broader Arab World, laying the groundwork for a more equitable future.