Women in Middle East- Exam Answers- 2 &4

2. "Despite the obstacles that classic patriarchy puts in women's way, women often resist the process of transition because they see the old normative order slipping away from them, leaving them without any empowering alternatives."

Explain why women in the ME are often the most insisting guardians of tradition. Provide examples from Middle Eastern women's lives.

Despite the obstacles that classical patriarchs put in women's way, women often resist the process of transition because they see the old normative order slipping away from them leaving them without any empowering alternatives.

Patriarchy was as first defined by the radical feminists is the concept that all the structures and institutions of society were created by man in order to benefit man. In addition, radical feminists say that in order to achieve equality, all the institutions and norms must be uprooted because they were built with patriarch (male dominated) values.

Classical patriarchy in Middle Eastern societies is demonstrated by the male dominated society that exists there. The job of the women is to produce (male) children and to protect the family's honor by being faithful and modest and by transmitting the tradition to her children. In these societies, when a women gets married, she moves into the home of her new husband "as effectively disposed individual", who can establish their place in the patriliny only by producing male offspring". In her new home, she is controlled not only by her husband and the other men in the house, but also by his parents, especially by her mother in law. In these societies, the women's key to power is via her sons, therefore mothers will grow at great length to cultivate and keep the relationships with their sons going. Many times, they would interfere with the marriages and even try to limit the romance between the couple, to make sure that they secured the loyalty and alliance with their sons. The way the