Ep 3 - An Arab Woman’s Choice, Feminism and the Universal Movement The Arab Feminist

In the first episode of the podcast, we discussed how the two opposing nodes of feminism in Arab societies often present a difficult choice for Arab women. They are forced to reconcile the kind of feminist they are with the kind of feminist are they expected to be and this can often alienate them from the feminist movement altogether. In episode 2, we learned how a solution to this may simply be to leave out the judgement on women’s decisions and give them the freedom to choose. So in this concluding episode, inspired by the works of Saba Mahmood, Ziba Mir-Hosseini and Sheryl Sanberg, we attempt to unite those conclusions to answer the questions we set out with. What should an Arab feminism represent? Can it unite the universal movement and the local culture? Is there one “global” feminism? And what do the perspectives of the women on the ground teach us about what they need in terms of a feminist movement?

I am honoured to share this space with Mona Ghoneim, a direct sales consultant working for a global insurance company based in Alexandria, Egypt.