scholarly journals DO FATWAS HAMPER MUSLIM WOMEN’S SOCIO-ECONOMIC PARTICIPATION IN MALAYSIA?

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abu Talib Mohammad Monawer ◽  
Fadila Grine ◽  
Md Faruk Abdullah ◽  
Mohd Roslan Mohd Nor

A number of studies show that, in Malaysia, women continue to make significant contributions to the country’s economic and social development. Moreover, women’s access to health and education has increased rapidly over the years. However, some studies claim that socio-economic discrimination against Muslim women persists. Although several factors contribute to this discrimination, fatwas (a legal opinion of Muslim jurists on Muslim affairs) are accused of discriminating against Muslim women in Malaysia such as prohibiting the appointment of female judges in shariah courts, employment of women for night shifts i.e. in the electronic factories, police force, and hospitals. Women’s socio-economic participation is important as it empowers them and creates gender equality. This paper reviews 16 fatwas on five topics relevant to women’s socio-economic participation in Malaysia issued by 11 state muftis (who issue fatwa) during the period of 1970 to 2012 in order to realize whether they hamper their participation. Using a qualitative content analysis approach, this paper concludes that fatwas had neither affected their socio-economic participation nor shaped their life negatively. This paper is hoped to positively shape the society’s impression of fatwas and help Muslim women in Malaysia abide to Islamic teachings by realizing the good impacts of fatwas issued.  Keywords: Fatwa, Muslim, women, socio-economic participation, Malaysia. Cite as: Mohammad Monawer, A. T., Grine, F., Abdullah, M. F., & Mohd Nor, M. R. (2019). Do fatwas hamper Muslim women’s socio-economic participation in Malaysia? Journal of Nusantara Studies, 4(1), 232-245. http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol4iss1pp232-245

2017 ◽  
Vol 39 (7) ◽  
pp. 2107-2130 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernadett Csurgó ◽  
Luca Kristóf

Our article aims to study the attitudes of the elite to family life and gender equality. This is a social group who still experiences significant gender imbalances. We focus on attitudes to family life, which has thus far been underresearched in elite literature. With the help of the analysis of 34 individual interviews with members of the Hungarian political, economic, and cultural elite, we identify and present three types of narrative identities: dominant, deferential, and egalitarian. The main finding from our qualitative content analysis is that egalitarian partnership norms which were discussed in every narrative and gender equality appear in most cases as a norm among the elite. However, there is a narrative tension between this norm and the couples’ actual experiences of their family life. We conclude our article with some comments on how the ideology of egalitarian essentialism strengthens gender inequalities reinforcing the underrepresentation of women in elite positions.


2021 ◽  
pp. 01-13
Author(s):  
Surbhi Shrivastava ◽  
Saurabh Rai ◽  
M Sivakami

Abstract India’s nationwide lockdown to curtail the transmission of Covid-19 has given rise to concerns over the health system’s response to maternal and child health (MCH) services. This paper aims to understand the challenges faced by pregnant women seeking institutional care during the lockdown. We conducted a qualitative content analysis of 54 online news reports, published in English and Hindi, between 25 March 2020 and 31 May 2020. They covered cases across 17 states in India and 16 maternal deaths. Three broad thematic categories of challenges for pregnant women emerged from the analysis: 1) physical access to health facilities, 2) admission to health facilities, and 3) lack of respectful maternity care during the lockdown. In conclusion, strengthening health systems and incorporating MCH into the Covid-19 response is imperative. Failure to provide quality MCH services during the lockdown has implications for the continuum of women’s care, maternal mortality, and human rights.


2020 ◽  
pp. 089331892097398
Author(s):  
Valerie Biwa

This study examines discourses of gender equality, inclusion, and empowerment in the mineral mining industry, focusing on the Women in Mining Association of Namibia (WiMAN). Qualitative content analysis revealed four themes: women as activists, women as hard workers, women as negotiators, and women as aligned with men. Building on African feminisms, the study emphasizes co-constructed, conciliatory, and collaborative symbolic action between men and women. These insights dislocate and denaturalize taken-for-granted assumptions espoused by some forms of Western feminisms which assume that feminist symbolic action requires antagonism and competition between women and men. In doing so, this study answers Broadfoot and Munshi’s (2007) call to diversify and enrich communication theory by including concepts, methods, and perspectives from around the globe.


2021 ◽  
pp. 001083672110007
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Jezierska

In 2014, Sweden’s Feminist Foreign Policy (FFP) was announced with a fanfare. This article critically interrogates how Sweden implements the FFP through digital diplomacy by investigating the extent of Sweden’s gender equality activities on Twitter since the introduction of the FFP and by tracing gendered online abuse in digital diplomacy. I focus on Swedish embassy tweets towards two countries where feminism is highly contested – Poland and Hungary. The theoretical inspiration comes from discursive approaches to the spoken and unspoken, enriched by feminist observations about the non-binary character of voice/silence. The method applied is gender-driven quantitative and qualitative content analysis. The findings demonstrate that the FFP has not set any significant mark on digital diplomacy in the analyzed cases. The launching of the FFP went completely unnoticed and posts related to gender equality have actually decreased since 2014. There are no traces of ambassadors being subjected to gendered online abuse, but heavily xenophobic and paternalistic language is directed at Sweden as a representative of liberal policies. The article contributes to the literature on digital diplomacy by highlighting the (lack of) links between foreign policy and digital diplomacy and it addresses a gap by focusing on gender in digital diplomacy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (12) ◽  
pp. 245-261
Author(s):  
Thameem Ushama

This article describes the life, education, and thoughts of Muhammad Shahrūr, whose discourse on Islam generated confusion and much in the way of polemical debate. His controversial bias favoured modernity, influenced by modern Western epistemology, traditions, and secularism. The author applies qualitative content analysis to select writings. The analysis unveils his position (s) in light of mainstream Islam and focusses on Shahrūr’s approach to Islamic religious thought via (1) theories of Non-Synonymity and Limit; (2) his view of the Ḥadīth and Sharīᶜah; (3) the status of Muslim women with regard to polygamy, dress code and feminism; (4) the law of inheritance; (5) western culture and civilization; and (6) evolution; democracy, nationalism and pluralism, etc.


2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 26
Author(s):  
Yuli Susiyanah

<p>This article examines the image of women in soy sauce advertisements in the  mass media. In general, the image of them in the mass media is depicted by stereotypes and patriarchal cultures inherent in them. They are generally described as agents of domestic roles and sex objects, who must be discriminated and subordinated. The theory used in this paper is gender relationship and mass media with qualitative content analysis. The theory is applied to analyze the positions between men and women in order to realize gender equality. Using qualitative content analysis, ABC soy sauce ads “true husbands want to cook” shows that there is a reconstruction concept of the relationship between men and women from a stereotypical and patriarchal culture to be a culture of gender equality. In this advertisement, the domestic job that is identified with the duty and responsibility of woman being able to be reconstructed into a role that can be performed by all people including men. It can shape public opinion about the image of women who must not be discriminated in the mass media.</p>


Author(s):  
Afnan Qutub ◽  
Wesam Basabain

Promoting wearing of the hijab by active young consumers is one method of showing respect for the human rights of Muslim women. Some international sportswear corporations such as Nike, Adidas, Under Armour UA, and Haute Hijab HH have been targeting modest athletic wear as new clothing lines to empower veiled athletes and increase their consumer base. This study analyzed four international sports brands’ advertisements on their official YouTube channels aimed at promoting modest sportswear for veiled women. The study investigated the discourse and semiotics used in the advertisements to persuade customers to make a purchase. Methodologically, the study conducted qualitative content analysis to review the ads and explore the extent of viewers’ interactions. The findings determined that the Nike and HH ads were most reached ads, followed by the UA ad, while the Adidas ad was the least reached. Two strategies played a significant role in the success of hijab sportswear ads: cultural identification and transformational appeal. These factors were found to attract the target audience and result in their engagement more than a company’s history and reputation.


2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie E. Brewster ◽  
Esther N. Tebbe ◽  
Brandon L. Velez

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