í Assignments

In Lila Abu-Lughod’s, Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving, she discusses Islamic women, opinions on their lifestyle and rights, the burqa and its importance as well as the argument that they are in need of saving due to the differences between them and Western women.

Abu-Lughod brings up the burqa, a piece of clothing worn by Islamic women, and the West’s opinion on it as well as how it differs from the actual meaning and reason for it. Westerners see it as a restriction placed upon Islamic women as well as something they need to be saved from, when in reality, a large majority of them make the decision to wear it for various reasons such as respect for their god and culture or privacy. Many fail to see the differences between Western culture and Islamic culture and as a result, believe anything different from what they are used to is wrong and should be changed.

Discourse on humanitarianism and human rights in the 21st century paint Islamic women as in need of saving due to the oppression and restriction they face. By bringing up abuse, restriction, obligation to wear the burqa, etc. the West can say that Islamic women are oppressed and need to be saved even though this is not the case for most of them. Abu-Lughod recommends that the Western world focus on themselves and/or actually understanding other cultures and traditions before making conclusions. Many overuse the oppression argument in order to fuel bigger things such as war even though their argument is wrong to begin with. Not all Muslim women are oppressed to the degree that is brought up and the majority of them choose to wear the burqa even after being ‘liberated.’

In the essay, “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving,” Abu-Lughod discussed that Western thinking perceived the Middle Eastern women needed saving from their “oppressive” Muslim religion and culture. She presents many points in this work that critique the “Western Feminist” assumptions concerning Muslim women. One of these assumptions was that these women are oppressed because they are “forced” to wear a veil. Abu-Lughod pointed out that the veil, one clothing being known as a burqa, was commonly misconceived as a symbol of oppression: symbolizing abuse, forced marriages, and a deprivation of women’s rights. However, the veil, in the Muslim community, represented modesty for women. It represented a separation between men and women. The veil created a “portable seclusion,” in Abu-Lughod’s words, which allows women to feel safe from men. It was also a symbol of respect, wearing it as an appropriate garment in respect to their culture. The Taliban “forced” women to wear it, but this clothing was worn before they risen into power. Even after the Taliban was taken out of power, women still wore some form of veil as a liberation, allowing them to feel safe in the same area as men were.
Another critique Abu-Lughod was the Western “vocations of saving others.” This construction makes the assumption that the Muslim women needs saving from something, in which case, the Western feminists believe to be Christianity and their ideals. This creates a sense of superiority in these feminists as they believe that Muslim women are “restricted” within their culture, when in reality, they are not. Muslim women have a different culture and express themselves in a different manner. Abu-Lughod argued that instead of trying to change those around us to be more like us, it would be more beneficial to try to make the world a better place as a whole. To respect ideals different from ours, to shift the world to a more peaceful place.

Lila Abu-Lughod’s article, “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving”, is an examination into the politics and reaction to the movement to “liberate” Muslim women in the Middle East in countries such as Afghanistan. Abu-Lughod begins by explaining the generalization that resulted from the 9/11 terrorist attacks as well as the United States’ response to the attacks. She states that the media had taken a special interest in the Muslim women of these Middle Eastern countries that had fallen to the hands of the Taliban and other terrorist groups, and that they had come to view the covering of women as a form of oppression. The media, including the network CBS, which she was interviewed several times for, equate the covering of Muslim women to be a sign of the oppression they face, something that robs them of freedom and expression. Yet the media lacks an awareness on the cultural background or history of the hijab and burqa, as well as the political and colonial situations that engulfed the Middle East and changed the political climates.

According to Abu-Lughod, the media and feminists and activists in general have used the burqa as a manifestation of the oppression of the women in this region, without understanding its cultural relevance or the many other factors that oppress women. Their desire to “save” these women demonstrates their ignorance to the complexity of the lives and systems in the Middle East, as well as the many factors that contributed to the current state of affairs, such as U.S intervention. Abu-Lughod warns that the notion of saving these women is disrespectful to the difference in cultures between women around the world, as well as a victimization of a group that is not in need of Western women to be their saviors. Rather than take up arms to “liberate” these women, activists should instead look internally at how their cultures and traditions differ from those of the women they aim to save. Not only should activists reflect, but they should investigate into the systems and events that lead to the violence and terrorism in the Middle East.

In her essay, “Do Muslims Women Really Need Saving,” Lila Abu-Lughod argues that discourses on humanitarianism and human rights in the 21st century rely on constructions of the idea of the “Muslim Woman”. Abu-Lughod focuses on the burqa that is often seen as symbol of oppression, a veil that muslim women are forced to wear. Abu-Lughod looks at Afghanistan as an example, stating that under Taliban rule women, under Sharia Law, were forced to wear burqas and even after Afghanistan was liberated from the Taliban, women continued to wear burqas. This, of course, is because the burqa is not just a symbol of political rule or law, it is a cultural aspect of Islam and worn by Muslim women everywhere. Abu-Lughod seems to comment on the misconception “liberals” have of the burqa, stating that liberals were confused when women didn’t liberate themselves from the burqa once the Taliban was removed from Afghanistan. Of course they didn’t – they can’t.

In “Do Muslim women Really Need Saving?” Lila Abu-Lughod introduces how the construction of Muslim women is connected to the human rights and culture background in 21^st century. There is stereotype about Muslim women’s culture, dress code and behavior. The cultural explanations are the piece of critical value. Laura Bush’s radio question prove that most people who do not familiar the kinds of culture, religious and society status. But, they use judge views to critical others. I think the society give too much oppression to people whom looks or dresses different, or have different social behavior.

The politics of the veil limited all of women to have their own rights. The veiling is the natural way women to dress code in traditional. Compared to the other societies, it may feel a little differently. They should get the same respect as other women. There are many people have negative impact on Middle East countries. They are linked to the talibian, tetorrism and muslim. By the politics event and world status, the Muslism women became a sensitive word in the discussion. The “ Burqa” is a dress way limited women’s rights and status. The lack of the education and economic condition cause many women controlled by the talibian power. I think the government and society push some women into a negative environment. It is also a sign of inequality of gender.

The culture relativism is representing by the difference social value, the economic status and education skills. Based on that, people or women used to be the way they alive. They may not like the political conditions and inequality of gender and some traditional behavior. I think they need more peace and freedom than saving. People who live in a insecurity country, they have to need more confidence or a better environment to live.

In her essay, “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving,” Lila Abu-Lughod argues that discourses on humanitarianism and human rights in the 21st century rely in some way on constructions of Muslim women. When we talk about Muslim women, the first thing came up on our mind might be: They wear the veil or the burqa. This may consider a sign for Muslim women. It is common popular knowledge that the ultimate sign of the oppression of Afghan women under the Taliban and the terrorists is that they were forced to wear the burqa. The burqa covered from their heads to toes, the cover may symbolized the restrict behaviors, they didn’t get the equally rights and respect compare with men or other women.

The save of Muslim women also included to help Muslim women to take off the burqa. For them, burqa was such as a sign of the oppression they got under the Taliban and the terrorists. So, take off the bueqa for some Muslim women may represent the fully liberated for Taliban.

But wear the burqa may not just consider the sign of oppression, for some Muslim people, it may also consider a way to for them to represent the culture and religion.

In her essay, “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving? Anthropological Reflections on Cultural Relativism and its Others, “ Lila Abu-Lughod argues that discourses on humanitarianism and human rights in the 21st century rely in some way on constructions of Muslim women. The”Veil” Abu-Lughod speaks of in her essay is the burqa muslim women are forced to wear and the connotations attributed to it. Abu-Lughod states that. It is common popular knowledge that the ultimate sign of the oppression of Afghan women under the Taliban and the terrorists is that they were forced to wear the
burqa. She also states how Liberals sometimes confess their surprise that even though Afghanistan has been liberated from the Taliban, women do not seem to be throwing off their burqas. Not only liberals are guilty of this thinking but the general populace as well. When one that does not understand the meaning behind wearing the burqa views a woman wearing one it is typically assumed it is due to the woman being forced to wear it. While most keep silent about their displeasure or confusion about women wearing burqas some can be a bit extreme. Many accounts of women wearing burqas being called terrorists and people ripping the burqas off of women’s heads have occurred in recent times. For these women to truly be saved they need to be given equal rights and respect. As long as the wearing of burqas is attributed to a forced woman with no rights they will never gain the respect they deserve. Some muslim men even support the idea that this way of dress means these women dont deserve respect and that these women are truly not equal to others. This way of thinking and the ones that support this way of thinking need to stop for muslim women to truly be free.

In her essay“Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving,” Lila Abu-Lughod argues that the feminist movement from Western countries trying to save Muslim women from cultural oppression , orthodox religious views and the violence of the Taliban, are imposing a Westernized view of the world in the lives of Muslim women. Feminists see themselves in a superior standpoint in which they can decide what would be a positive change in the lives of Afghan women.  But by changing their cultural way of dressing and taking away the veils from their hair will not change the life situation for many women that need social justice, the end of war, peace, economic resources, education, safe environments to raise their children, social recognition, health care, and universal human rights.

Abu-Lughod states the issues that affect Afghan women are not only those that the Taliban imposed upon them, but we should take a look to the large picture and recognize that the social issues were present before the war on terror. The violence and destruction we see on T.V. and discussed in interviews is rooted in political issues, conflicts to access territory, extraction of oil and natural resources. In order to change the lives of Afghan women and disadvantaged people in the world,  there should be a re distribution  of wealth and the work of  organizations and that want to bring rights and justice for people.

Also, Abu-Lughod informs that we must identify what are the interests of the groups and organizations involved in the search for a better world. If  feminists and  human rights advocates want to bring justice and emancipation for women and people that are suffering the aftermath of the terrorist attacts of September 11th, they should do it by discussing the history of interventions of the U.S. in Afghanistan, the relationship of the Taliban with the U.S and how neo-colonialism influences religious groups to react against foreign powers that want to dominate their lives and take their resources.

Lila Abu-Lughod is the author of Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving. In her essay, Lila discusses the Western world’s obsession with viewing Muslim women as people that need to be saved based on their cultural practices. One practice that many westerners believe “restricts” the basic human rights of Muslim women is the veil, also known as the burqa (Abu-Lughod, 2002). I believe that Abu-Lughod feels that a major problem with the Western world is that they fail to acknowledge the differences in cultures. The burqa is a big part of the Muslim culture as it pertains to women. What many westerners see as oppression for these women is not oppression to them. Many Muslim women wear the burqa to show what group they are a part of, distance themselves from men they choose not to reveal themselves too, and as a way to maintain a relationship with their god (Abu-Lughod, 2002). Lila tries to reinforce that just because women in the western world do not wear a burqa does not mean that women who do wear it in other parts of the world are being oppressed (Abu-Lughod, 2002).

I deeply enjoyed Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving because Lila really brings awareness to the different motivations behind various campaigns. First, by claiming that Muslim women need saving because they wear a burqa is insinuating that the western way in which women do not wear burqas is the right practice. This insinuation in a way condemns the practice of wearing burqas as not being “normal” and that it is an agent used to oppress women. Second, she states that the world has a tendency of using women as victims like Muslim women as a way to persuade the public into agreeing to things like war (Abu-Lughod, 2002). I believe that as it pertains to the burqa, Muslim women do not need saving. The burqa is a part of their culture and it is a part of their identity. Just because they choose to cover themselves for various reasons does not mean that their freedom is restricted. I also believe that the world, in particular the western world needs to embrace the differences of cultures and stop trying to impose their beliefs on others similar to what they are trying to do to the Muslim women and their burqa.

Abu-Lughod, L. (2002). Do Muslim Really Need Saving? Anthropological
(Abu-Lughod, 2002)Reflections on Cultural Relativism and Its Others. Harvard University Press.

In her essay, “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving,” Lila Abu-Lughod points out that have been many arguments about to rescue oppressed Muslim women for their culture and religion. Even now in the 21st century discourses on humanitarianism and human rights establish the image of an Afghan woman who needs to be rescued. Muslims women have been exposed as victims of the veil (or burqa), violent abuse, forced to marry, and deprived of their rights. Also, the burqa is commonly seen as a sign of their oppression and we seem surprise when many women continue wearing their burqas after been “liberated”. Lughod also explains that the burqa is a form of “cover” that represents the separation of men’s and women’s spheres. According to the anthropologist Hanna Papanek many women saw the veil as a liberating invention because it allows them to move out of segregated spaces and still being protected of unrelated men. Lughod makes a point of equally when she explains that poverty and political instability affect not only the attendance of girls to school, but also of boys.

I think that the “vocation of saving others” is because we have a different culture and a different lifestyle than the Muslim women’s. We expect a better world for all women. We have a different point of view about how should be the world, how women should dress or what role should they play in society. That is why we see Muslim women as victims. Lughod explains that we focus more in see other’s problems and we forget our own situation and ignore our own oppressions. Trying to “save others” is just a distraction to forget that our own policies and actions are responsible for making the conditions in which others live at a distance. A better option is to ask ourselves what can we do to create better condition for better place for everyone to live.