User:Pinkpanther987/sandbox

Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving? (ARTICLE) by Lila Abu-Lughod


 * In her article “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving?” scholar Lila Abu-Lughod contests the narrative that poses Muslim women as victims. This narrative suggests that Muslim women, specifically from Afghanistan, must be saved from the hijab or burqa that have been “forced” upon these individuals. This narrative is a common misconception; in reality, these women have the option to veil themselves and have no obligation to do so. Thus, these stereotypes are pervasive and only serve to further marginalize Muslim women in Western society. Abu-Lughod claims that the world is more interested in how the cultures and customs of these women affect the current political and historical climate of the world, rather than looking at the United State’s role in these events. This approach precludes a thorough investigation of the origins of suffering in the Middle East. Thus, Abu-Lughod demonstrates the dangers of drowning Muslim women in totalizing cultures as succeeded in splitting the world into varying spheres such as West versus East and only saw them for their religion.


 * Abu-Lughod illustrates how Western savior discourse about Muslim women reflects cultural framing through her example of “colonial feminism” and the veil. The veil was perceived to be a symbol of oppression by Egyptian women. Yet, these women did not care about women’s education, a fundamental right. These viewpoints contradict themselves: one cannot claim to be worried about women’s persecution, but only hone in on specific situations. Hence, cultural framing is prevalent here because the veil is integrated into the experiences of the women in this region, but education is not in the same category.

“Double Bind of Muslim Women’s Activism in Pakistan: Case of Malala Yousafzai and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy” by Naila Sahar


 * https://login.ezproxy.trincoll.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/double-bind-muslim-women-s-activism-pakistan-case/docview/2685683555/se-2
 * In “Double Bind of Muslim Women’s Activism in Pakistan: Case of Malala Yousafzai and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy” scholar Naila Sahar contests how Western feminist studies pose women from “third-world” countries as helpless. Society believes these women’s religion and culture are the reason for their oppression, painting them as victims who need saving. Sahar explores this narrative and focuses on Pakistan-Muslim women activism in her article. She investigates how these individuals surpass a misogynistic system, question gender stereotypes, and transcend into inspirations for other women. Despite their efforts to elevate the concerns of women, Pakistani-Muslim women activists confined by the patriarchal community around them and the portrayal of being defenseless in Western rhetoric. More specifically, she discusses Malala Yousafzai and Sharmeen Obaid Chinnoy, two prominent activists around the world, who are seen as divisive figures in Pakistan, their home country.
 * Sahar regards the infamous “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving?” by Lila Abu-Lughod in her piece. Abu-Lughod touches upon the white savior discourse as well, but she concentrates on how Afghani-Muslim are “oppressed” from the hijab and burqa, which is different than Sahar. Nonetheless, Abu-Lughod highlights the similar accounts of Muslim women’s persecutions. Come back

""Bizarre” and “Backward”: Saviorism and Modernity in Representations of Menstrual Beliefs and Practices in the Popular Media” by Inga T. Wrinkler and Chris Bobel


 * https://login.ezproxy.trincoll.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/bizarre-backward-saviorism-modernity/docview/2566480099/se-2?accountid=14405
 * In “”Bizarre” and “Backward”: Saviorism and Modernity in Representations of Menstrual Beliefs and Practices in the Popular Media” scholars Inga T. Wrinkler and Chris Bobel discuss how globally, menstruation-related cultural and religious customs are being discussed more frequently in everyday dialogue. In order to refute common misconceptions about menstruation, eighty-two pieces published in a range of prominent websites were carefully textually analyzed for this study. In spite of the articles' prime objective to refute the common misconceptions, many of them instead focus on exaggerated or condescending depictions of menstruation customs that ignore or mock cultural and religious customs. According to Wrinkler and Bobel, many publications portray the global North as forward-thinking and the global South as backward-thinking, based on the postcolonial triad of subject, savage, and savior. These depictions juxtapose "backward" practices with presumptions of Western superiority, particularly the unquestioning primacy of modernization.
 * Wrinkler and Bobel tie the postcolonial triad of subject, savage, and savior, to Abu-Lughod as she discusses white saviorism as well. Similarly to Abu-Lughod, they explain how the justification for United States military intervention is justified through the need to “save” these subjects (Muslim women) from savages (Muslim men) by their saviors.

""The Victiminization of the “Muslim Women”: The Case of Amina Fillali, Morrcco” by Nima Mesbahi


 * https://login.ezproxy.trincoll.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/victimization-muslim-woman-case-amina-filali/docview/2057940084/se-2?accountid=14405
 * In “”The Victimization of the “Muslim Women”: The case of Amina Fillali, Morocco” scholar Nima Mesbahi recounts the death of Amina Fillali, a young Moroccan girl, who committed suicide in 2012 after being ordered to wed her rapist. Mesbahi focuses on the tragedy of Amina to place the incident in its larger context as she analyzes global and domestic discussions regarding the case, which are similar of ethnocentric tropes that consistently present the Muslim women as a victim. Mesbahi is concerned with the unsung narrative that demonstrates how Muslim women can negotiate with systems of power within the patriarchy. Moreover, she is interested in how these individuals are portrayed in the media as victims, in addition to the current civic system.
 * Mesbahi claims that current civic system with origins in a distinguishable conceptual background was created as a result of Europe's harsh colonization of the Islamic world, which portrayed Muslim women not only as an outlawed interest, but as a damsel in distress that must be salvaged. As a result of amplified media coverage, the latter has prevailed and has been utilized to rationalize military interventions in the Middle East and Northern Africa to “save” these women. This connects to Abu-Lughod because it touches upon her notion of how the Western world believes that their interference in these other nations is helping and saving these individuals.

“Invisible Violence: Gender, Islamophobia, and the Hidden Assault on U.S. Muslim Women” by Sabrina Alimahomed-Wilson


 * https://login.ezproxy.trincoll.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/invisible-violence-gender-islamophobia-hidden/docview/2491991808/se-2?accountid=14405


 * In “Invisible Violence: Gender, Islamophobia, and the Hidden Assault on U.S. Muslim Women” scholar Sabrina Alimahomed-Wilson examines the increase of institutional, organized force against Muslim women through interviews, FBI statistics on hate crimes, and reports on civil liberties legislation. She argues that the topic of “saving” Muslim women receives great interest when Muslim men are cast as the perpetrators of abuse.


 * Alimahomed-Wilson states that the American media, legislation, lawmakers, and politics highlight the abuse Muslim males inflict on their female counterparts in the Middle East, encouraging U.S. military intervention. This connects to Abu-Lughod point of how the United States rationalizes the War on Terror by claiming that they are defending women’s rights. Again, these women are seen as needing saving.

“Who Is the Muslim?: Discursive Representations of the Muslims and Islam in Indian Prime-Time News” by Onaiza Drabu


 * https://login.ezproxy.trincoll.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/who-is-muslim-discursive-representations-muslims/docview/2124319108/se-2


 * In “Who Is the Muslim?: Discursive Representations of the Muslims and Islam in Indian Prime-Time News” scholar Onazia Drabu examines how two issues—love jihad and triple talaq—are covered during on Times Now and Republic TV, two different English channels. The phrase "love jihad" refers to purported attempts by Muslim males to convince non-Muslim women to convert to Islam by pretending to be in love. According to one interpretation of the term "triple talaq," Muslim males can lawfully divorce their wives by saying the word "talaq" three times. Her study reveals that the reporting’s subject matter and demeanor  frequently use the clichés that Muslim women must be saved from Muslim men. These clichés serve to further stereotypes of Islam as a religion of marginalization and violence.


 * Drabu touches upon the common misconception that Muslim women must be saved from the abuse that they endure from Muslim men and their communities.  This connects to Abu-Lughod's article as it touches upon the same white savior discourse and how Muslim women are perceived to be oppressed from those around them.