Iraqi Women and Gender Relations: Redefining Difference

Abstract

The proposed paper will explore the changing role of women and gender in Iraq from the 1950s pre-revolutionary period, throughout 35 years of Ba'th regime, economic sanctions to the current post 2003 period. Against the historic background of both state repression and state feminism, gender relations changed rapidly during the period of economic sanctions (1990–2003) which was marked by a drastic turn towards greater social conservatism. But it is in the current context of occupation and the rising influence of Islamist political parties and militias that gender ideologies and relations are at the centre of political contestations, increasing violence and the instrumentalization of human rights issues. This paper aims to challenge the notion of diversity in the context of Iraqi women as represented in the prevailing political and media discourses which focus on ethnic and religious differences. Historically, as the paper will argue, social class, place of origin and political orientation cut across ethnic and religious boundaries and present the main markers of difference.