Saudi Women under the Context of the Arab Spring

Year 2014, Volume: 5 Issue: 2, 9 - 29, 01.01.2014

Alejandra Galindo Marınes

Abstract

The main goal of this article is to show how Saudi women frame their activism in recent times. Taking into consideration a view on how Saudi women is portrayed as homogenised and single person, this article analyse the moments of making public their demands and how women employ certain tactics to advance their petitions, but also to become visualised and heard. Although there is a small group of women who are taking part in actual demonstrations, the growing identification on gender lines is taking place, above social divisions and geographical distances. In order to understand how this is taking place, it is conceived here that women actions should be seen under an optic of continuity, starting from early nineties and passing through different stages until the present. In fact, the context of the Arab Spring just served as another impulse to reinvigorate their demands. In contrast to past actions, the activism of women focused on two issues which are analysed: the right to vote and the right to drive. Through their actions, women subvert the image of a “Saudi woman” attached to them, invoking its symbols as means to change the homogenised and idealised women. Here we present how women issue is included in the public debate and how through the crisis of legitimacy experienced by the state, under the context of the “Arab Spring” women take advantage of those moments to demand for change. Due the activism of some Saudi women who by their own actions, public exposure, the use of media, organisation of actions to become political candidates or to demand the right to drive, changes are happening. Meanwhile, despite the polemic caused in the society, the government has to balance between the reformist and traditional elements of the society

Keywords

Saudi Arabia, Saudi women, women’s rights, citizenship

Arap Baharı Bağlamında Suudi Kadını

Abstract

Bu makalenin temel amacı Suudlu kadınların son zamanlardaki aktivizmlerini nasıl dile getirdiklerini göstermektir. Suudlu kadınların homojenize ve tek birey olarak nasıl tasvir edildiği görüşü göz önünde bulundurularak, bu makale zaman dilimlerini ve kadınların hem kendi taleplerini dile getirmek hem de görünür ve duyulur olmak için nasıl belirli taktikleri uyguladıklarını analiz etti. Küçük bir kadın grubunun asıl gösterilere katılmalarına rağmen, artan cinsiyet hatlarının tanımı sosyal ayrım ve coğrafi mesafenin üzerinde gerçekleşmektedir. Bunun nasıl gerçekleştiğini anlamak için, kadınların eylemlerine doksanların başından başlayıp günümüze kadar geçen farklı evrelerde süreklilik perspektifinden incelenmelidir. Aslında, Arap Baharının bağlamı, kendi taleplerini hareketi geçirmek için ayrı bir motivasyon sağlamıştır. Geçmiş eylemlerin aksine, kadınların aktivizmi incelendiğinde iki konu üzerinde duruldu: Oy hakkı ve araba kullanma hakkı. Kendi eylemleri aracılığıyla, kadınlar onlara yapışan “Suudlu kadın” imajını yıkarak, homojenize ve idealize kadın imajını değiştirmek için bir araç olarak onun sembolleri kullanılıyor. Bu çalışmada, kadın meselelerinin nasıl kamusal tartışmaya dahil edildiğini ve “Arap Baharı” bağlamında devletin yaşadığı meşruiyet krizi ile kadınların o anlardan yararlanarak nasıl değişim için taleplerde bulunduklarını takdim ediyoruz. Bazı Suudlu kadınların kendi inisiyatifleri sonucunda gerçekleştirdikleri kamu ifşası, medyayı kullanma, siyasi aday olmak veya araba sürme hakkını talep etmek gibi eylemleri neticesinde bazı değişiklikler gerçekleşiyor. Bu arada, toplumda polemiğe neden olmasına rağmen hükümetin yenilikçiler ve toplumun geleneksel unsurları arasında dengeyi sağlaması gerekmektedir

Keywords

Suudi Arabistan, Suudlu Kadınlar, kadın hakları, vatandaşlık

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