Islam, politics, and education

Abstract

Chapter Three examines novels which depict women’s experiences of menstruation, childbirth and the menopause in an Algerian context. This chapter argues that representations of the female body in Algerian women’s writing are primarily inflected by Islamic practices, doctrine and traditions. Algerian women’s writing illustrates that women’s choices can be restricted by a patriarchal culture which justifies its mistreatment of women by perverting Islamic doctrine. Certain novels reveal that the patriarchal oppression of women is reified through it being legally sanctioned by the state. These novels expose a variety of practices which have a harmful impact on female bodily experience. Practises include the belief that menstrual blood is impure, sequestration, and repudiation. Algerian novels also reveal that women’s bodily experiences have been significantly influenced by the changes in education, living conditions, and politics, that occurred since Algeria gained its independence in 1962. In addition, Algerian women’s writing often inscribes the female body in violent and traumatic contexts. The chapter examines the work of Maïssa Bey, Leïla Marouane, Malika Mokeddem, and Nina Bouraoui.