Democratization and gender inequality in Egypt.

Abstract

This thesis offers a qualitative analysis of the condition of women's social and political roles in Egyptian society prior to and during their current transition to a legitimate democracy. It argues that without mitigation of the patriarchal structures shaping the ideological framework dominating Egyptian society, democratization will not succeed. Examination of both the orientalist and Islamist arguments regarding the incompatibility of democratic values in Arab/Islamic society reveals both their insufficiency at explaining the barriers keeping Arab society at the fringes of modernization and their contribution to the overall problem. In addition, investigation of these Islamist and orientalist theories demands the evolution of a more robust theoretical evaluation as to why democracy has remained largely absent in the region. Using feminist theory this thesis seeks to reveal how intimately linked gender relations are to the political, social, and economic stagnation plaguing Egypt. Specifically, how the neopatriarchal state, radical Islamist movements, and personal status laws have created a formidable opposition to the freedom and equality of women in both the public and private spheres. Corollary to these restraints on gender equality is the creation of a political, social and cultural atmosphere resistant to any legitimate attempt to liberalize society. In order to narrow the scope of research this paper will analyze data and theories pertaining to gender relations and democratization in Egypt from the start of the Mubarak era in 1981 up to the Arab uprising in 2011. While this case study is only a small qualitative contribution to the overall study of democratization, development, and feminist theories, it nonetheless posits to highlight extremely credible assumptions regarding the correlation between gender relations and democratization in Egypt.--Abstract.