Patriarchy and development in the Arab world.

Abstract

The author defines patriarchy in the Arab context as the prioritizing of the rights of males and elders, and the justification of those rights within kinship values which are usually supported by religion. She considers the systematic impact of patriarchy throughout Arab society in the attempt to understand the persistence of patriarchy in the Arab world. Patriarchy in the Arab world, and other regions, is an obstacle for women, children, families, and states. It affects health, education, labor, human rights, and democracy. The author argues that patriarchy is powerful in the Arab world because age-based kinship values and relationships are crucial socially, economically, politically, ideologically, and psychologically. Sections discuss social patriarchy, economic patriarchy, political patriarchy, religious patriarchy, patriarchy in the self, and development planners, practitioners, and patriarchy.