Beyond dichotomies

Abstract

Most research on gender in the Middle Eastern workplace treats gender identities in relation to the polarity of ‘tradition’ and ‘modernity’. Although some of these studies take a critical perspective, they largely ignore the importance of language, and therefore empirical work on this topic from a social constructionist perspective is largely lacking. This article presents the narratives related by a female Qatari professional during a research interview and the discursive positions she takes up vis-à-vis these ‘tradition-or-modernity’- oriented dominant discourses of gender-based difference. A qualitative, micro-oriented discourse analytical method highlights how ‘gender identity’ is made relevant in the negotiation of ‘professional identity’ and how culturally-governed expectations about femininity and professionalism surface – and are interactionally dealt with. The interviewee constructs a highly ephemeral identity at the intersection of gender and professional identity, presenting a much less polarised view on gender identity. This challenges essentialist notions of the gender-related tradition-modernity dichotomy found in the literature.