Welcome!

Welcome to "Women in the Arab World: An Interview-Based Blog"!

The internet and satellite television have revolutionized modern media. Within seconds stories travel around the world, screaming out to us from our computer screens. Sensational reports, however, are flawed, as one cannot understand the historical, social, and political context of a situation from a simple headline. At the same time, it is difficult for young people to understand that the news is simply composed of the most remarkable or terrible events to happen-- snapshots that do not reflect the whole story. This leads to misconceptions of other cultures, expecially concerning women's rights in the Middle East, an extremely volatile and complex region. As a young woman currently living in Jordan, I have had the incredible experience of being immersed in the debate on gender roles, a conflict seen even among teenagers.

As the title implies, this is an interview-based blog project on the daily lives of women in Jordan, focusing on issues that are often misunderstood in the West, such as head coverings, honour killings, and the cultural concept of gender equality. Please do note that this is not necessarily a representation of the Arab World in its entirety. What I write here indicates opinions of various people within my network of communication that could perhaps shed light on some of these topics, along with some of my own research. Scholarly debate is definitely encouraged.
Thanks! --Rose H

PS: Any written sources that I use will be cited at the bottom of the blog post for further reading.