EFL Female Students’ Perception of Feminist Poetry: A Case Study in the Department of English at Umm Al-Qura University

Abstract

This study examines the perception of English as a Foreign Language female students in the Department of English at Umm Al-Qura University regarding feminist poetry. It offers an insight into their understanding of the genre and its themes and how these are relevant to women’s changing roles in Saudi Arabian society. Research was conducted among forty students who studied the Poetry course (731478-2) during the first and second semesters of the academic year of 2019-2020 at the university. The study adopts a qualitative methodology with a survey as the primary tool to collect data. Students were asked to complete a questionnaire which directly addressed the research questions and were then given a chance to add their comments and personal inputs. Given that women’s empowerment is a vital part of the Saudi vision of 2030, the majority of the responses show positive attitudes towards studying feminist poetry. In doing so, this study sheds light on the value of integrating feminist poetry as it raises students’ awareness of women’s rights in different cultures, allowing them to reflect on their own experience.